Alaska State Legislature

News From The House Majority

Ken Freeman, Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
phone: (907) 465-3804
web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540

Measure Banning Partial Birth Abortions Becomes Law

Legislature Overturns Governor's Veto

For Immediate Release: May 2, 1997 Contact: Rep. Pete Kott (907) 465-3777

JUNEAU - The State Legislature Friday overturned Governor Knowles veto of HB 65, convinced this legislation which bans partial-birth abortions in Alaska will be found constitutional under state and federal interpretation.

"I have done extensive research on the issues surrounding the constitutionality of HB 65 and found this legislation meets constitutional muster," said Kott. "The Legislature through its action today confirmed its support of this bill and its strong belief the bill is constitutional."

The Governor in his veto message stated that HB 65 violates Alaska's constitutional right to privacy. Kott said there are no Alaska cases applying Alaska's constitutional right to privacy to abortion.

"I am puzzled as to how the Governor can be so certain. I can not believe that our right to privacy requires recognition of a right to kill late-term, almost born babies in this singularly cruel manner," said Kott.

Kott also noted that the Governor claims that HB 65 is too vague. According to Kott, this assertion is also mistaken.

"Legal and medical specialists devoted a great deal of time and effort in crafting the bill to exclude just this possibility, and experts in the field have stated that the bill is clear, precise, and not susceptible to misunderstanding," said Kott.

Governor Knowles stated that HB 65 was unconstitutional because it did not provide for the health of the mother. In reply, Representative Kott stated that HB 65 only affects one particularly gruesome method of abortion and leaves all other methods intact.

"Passage of HB 65 has no effect on the availability of abortion in Alaska. It only prohibits partial-birth abortion, a method that, to date, is not being performed in Alaska, and hopefully never will be performed in our state," Kott said. "If for some reason a woman's health requires an abortion, she can still get one."

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