{"id":26578,"date":"2013-02-01T01:57:44","date_gmt":"2013-02-01T06:57:44","guid":{"rendered":"\/news\/?p=26578"},"modified":"2013-02-01T09:11:15","modified_gmt":"2013-02-01T14:11:15","slug":"alabama-medical-standards-abortion-clinics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/alabama-medical-standards-abortion-clinics\/","title":{"rendered":"Alabama bill seeks to increase medical standards at abortion clinics"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>
\"Rep.

Rep. Mary Sue McClurkin<\/p><\/div>\n

Alabama\u2019s House of Representatives begins its legislative session on Tuesday, and Rep. Mary Sue McClurkin (R-District 43) will sponsor House Bill 57<\/a>, the Women\u2019s Health and Safety Act, which would classify abortion facilities in Alabama as ambulatory surgical centers, requiring them to meet stricter fire safety codes and building standards<\/a>. Abortion facilities would be required to submit architectural and sprinkler system plans to the Department of Public Health within 180 days of the Act becoming law.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Women’s Health and Safety Act<\/a> notes:<\/p>\n

… because abortion or reproductive health centers have often failed to meet acceptable standards of medical care, it is necessary for the Legislature to enact reasonable and medically appropriate health and safety standards for all abortion and reproductive health centers, and to provide effective enforcement mechanisms and disincentives for centers that are unable or unwilling to meet these requirements.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

HB-57 would make it a Class C felony for anyone other than a physician to perform an abortion or prescribe, dispense, or administer an abortion-inducing drug. This portion of the bill should be a no-brainer \u2013 abortion is between a woman and her doctor, right? \u2013 but it\u2019s sadly necessary, given the push by abortion proponents, including Planned Parenthood, for non-physicians to perform abortions<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Section 13 of the bill affirms:<\/p>\n

Any person who can demonstrate personal injury, including physical injury, emotional distress, or mental anguish, where such injury has resulted from the failure of an abortion or reproductive health center to conform to the requirements of this act, may maintain a civil action for damages against the abortion or reproductive health center and against the administrator of the facility.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Additionally, if a girl younger than 16 sought an abortion in Alabama under this bill, the abortion provider would be required to ask the girl the name and age of her child\u2019s father. The girl would not be required to answer, but if the abortion center learned that the father of the child was more than two years older than the underage mother, the abortion center would be required to report the names of the minor and the father to law enforcement and the Department of Human Resources. Abortion facilities would also be required to report to the Department of Human Resources the names of girls younger than 14 who receive abortions.<\/p>\n

This measure would help prevent the abortion industry from safeguarding rapists or neglecting to take appropriate action upon learning about the sexual abuse of a minor.<\/p>\n

In 2008, Live Action exposed the Birmingham, Alabama Planned Parenthood\u2019s willingness to cover up statutory rape<\/a>. This prompted an\u00a0investigation\u00a0by the state Health Department, and the clinic was later placed on probation. The original Live Action investigative footage can be seen below:<\/p>\n