CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire's House rejected a bill Wednesday that would have required women to wait 24 hours before getting an abortion.
The House voted 229-121 Wednesday to kill a bill that would have required a woman's doctor to provide her with certain information about risks and alternatives to the procedure. The woman would have been required to certify in writing that she has received the information.
The House passed a similar bill last year but the Senate rejected it.
"This bill is fair and necessary and in no way comes between a woman and her doctor. It in no way prohibits a woman from obtaining an abortion should she choose to do so," said Rep. Jane Cormier, R-Alton.
She said the bill would require the doctor to provide the woman with risks of having an abortion, of having the baby, alternatives and the fetus' gestational age.
Rep. Jeanine Notter, R-Merrimack, said women need to understand the risks of having an abortion.
But opponents said state law already requires doctors to get their patients' consent before performing medical procedures.
"This would impose a legislative requirement that does not exist for any other medical procedure," said Rep. Sylvia Gale, D-Nashua.
Gale said lawmakers would not be having the debate if the procedure was a lung transplant or a vasectomy.
Rep. Peter Sullivan, D-Manchester, said he was troubled that the doctor would have to provide the woman with the characteristics of the fetus.
Cormier said the bill did not mandate an ultrasound, but Sullivan questioned if one would be needed to satisfy the requirement.
