Sponsor Statement for SB 12

An Act banning partial-birth abortions

SB 12 is modeled after federal legislation which was passed by Congress and vetoed by President Clinton during the previous U.S. Congress. "Partial-birth" abortion is defined as:

an abortion in which the person performing the abortion partially vaginally delivers a living fetus before killing the fetus and completing the delivery.

It is unclear as to how many, if any, partial-birth abortions are performed in Alaska. There simply is not an established reporting process which requires a physician to describe the type of abortion procedure used. It is my goal to make a strong public policy statement against allowing this grisly procedure in Alaska. A majority of Americans, even of those who support legal abortions, do not support this late term abortion procedure. I suspect the same holds true for Alaska. In a letter to U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch, in which President Clinton stated concerns with H.R. 1833, even the president, a supporter of partial-birth abortions, characterized the procedure as "very disturbing".

SB 12 does provide for an exemption if a partial-birth abortion is necessary to save the life of the mother.

PENALTIES

A person who performs a partial-birth abortion is subject to a class C felony. SB12 provides for an exception in the event a partial-birth abortion is necessary to save the life of the mother and no other medical procedure would suffice for that purpose. The legislation stipulates a woman upon who a partial-birth abortion is performed may not be prosecuted. Section 1 (c) provides for civil relief, under certain conditions, from the individual who performed the abortion.

I feel strongly that a majority of Alaskans are also troubled by this disturbing abortion procedure and support a ban of partial-birth abortions in Alaska. I urge your support for SB 12.