On Thursday, Democratic Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs reportedly exercised her veto power on a piece of legislation that would have protected babies from infanticide after surviving an abortion, regardless of the likelihood that the baby would live.
The Born Alive Bill, which amends existing law to view a fetus that survived an abortion as a legal person and grant the child the same rights and medical care as anyone else, was advanced by the Republicans in the State Senate in February.
The current state law only requires that abortionists offer life-saving care to those babies born alive after 20 weeks.
Not accurate. Bill requires medically appropriate and reasonable care and treatment be given to any baby born alive. If death is imminent, parents can refuse the care. Horrific to leave a baby to die w/o reasonable care. Heartless. Cruel. Evil. https://t.co/4kY6kXvryZ
— Cathi Herrod (@cathiherrod) March 31, 2023
However, this bill, which was advanced by the Republicans in the State Senate, views a fetus that survived an abortion as a legal person.
Individuals who do not comply risk having legal implications brought against them.
The same thing happened in the Arizona House of Representatives, when Republicans followed suit and passed the legislation by a vote of 32 to 28, with the backing of Democratic Representative Lydia Hernandez of Phoenix.
But, Republican Representative Justin Heap has stated that the law may be boiled down to a single question in the event if a baby survives an abortion.
“If a baby is born alive, even if it is sick or troubled, do we make efforts to try to save that person and treat them with the same dignity we would any other human being in our hospitals, or do we leave them on a table to die?’ It is repellent. It is evil.” Heap said.
According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, at least 18 newborns survived abortions in the state in both 2020 and 2021, despite the fact that approximately 400 unborn babies were terminated in the state after 21 weeks of gestation.
Cathi Herrod, president of the pro-life Center for Arizona Policy, spoke out against the governor’s decision to veto the law, describing it as “cruel” and “heartless.” Cathi Herrod condemned the governor’s decision.
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