It's No Fun To Say "I Told You So"

by Gretchen Borchelt, Senior Counsel
National Women’s Law Center

One of the immediate impacts of Gonzales v. Carhart was a rush in state legislatures to copy the federal ban. Just a reminder: the federal ban prohibits a medically-approved abortion procedure without making an exception for women’s health. Anti-choice legislators want their own state version because they want harsher penalties for doctors and more aggressive enforcement of the law. 

Louisiana was the first to pass a copycat ban, doing so only three months after Carhart came down. At the time, I said more states would follow suit. Looks like states are well on their way to proving me right:

• On Monday, Arizona’s copycat ban passed the House. It now goes to the Senate, where a companion bill has already received preliminary approval.
• In Wisconsin, a copycat ban just passed the Assembly and now goes to the Senate. 
• The Kentucky Senate has passed a version, as has the Michigan Senate. 

Sometimes I hate being right.