Abortion Bill Passes ND House

| 2/16/2009

Crossover in the legislative session occurs when all the bills introduced in the House are voted on and passed to the senate, and all the bills in the Senate are voted on and passed on to the House. Crossover is Friday and lawmakers are kicking things into high gear this week to make sure everything is finished in time.

One of the issues hotly debated on the floor today was House Bill 1445, which states that life begins at conception. If passed, it would ensure that before a woman is to have an abortion, she be informed that she will be terminating the life of a human being. Sponsors say its intent isn`t to ban abortions, but rather to decrease the number of them. Opponents say the legislature shouldn`t interfere with a woman`s choice to have an abortion.

"If it prevented even one woman from having an abortion, and suffering remorse from it later on, it would be a good bill," says Rep. Chuck Damschen (R), of Hampden.

"I don`t think my constituents want this, I think they want that to be left up to them with their minister, with their family," says Rep. Kari Conrad (D), of Minot.

Representatives voted 61 to 31 to pass the bill.

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