Lawsuit filed to halt Texas abortion sonogram law

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/texas-legislature/headlines/20110613-lawsuit-filed-to-halt-texas-abortion-sonogram-law.ece


Related items AUSTIN — Texas’ new anti-abortion law faces its first legal test.

The national Center for Reproductive Rights filed a federal lawsuit Monday to halt implementation of the requirements that women wanting an abortion must have a sonogram and hear a detailed description of the fetus.

The group called the mandates patronizing and an intrusion into the doctor-patient relationship.

“When you go to the doctor, you expect to be given information that is relevant to your particular medical decisions and circumstances, not to be held hostage and subjected to an anti-choice agenda,” said Nancy Northup, the center’s president.

Backers of the law, which goes into effect Sept. 1, say it will provide better information and deter women from having an abortion. Legislative supporters say they crafted the wording to withstand legal challenge.

It says a sonogram must be performed, but a woman may turn her head and choose not to see it. Doctors still must verbally recount details of fetal organ and limb development. If they don’t, they could lose their medical license.

The law also says most patients must wait 24 hours after having the sonogram and hearing a description before returning for an abortion.

The center filed the suit in Austin on behalf of doctors and clinics, saying the law violates their speech and due process rights by forcing physicians to deliver “politically motivated communications to women.”

ACLU, all the women's groups, and certainly AMA, if they were really true to the best interests of their physician membership....

I will look with interest at who joins or at least files "friends of the court briefs" as this moves through.

Sonograms are not free.

Texans, think of a good place to send the bills.

sonograms administered internally rather than through the abdomen?

These people make me sick.