HB 1136: Pro-Choicers Want Uninformed Choice | Eastern North Carolina Now

   Publisher's note: This post, by Carrie Leggins, was originally published in the Bad Bill of the Week section of Civitas's online edition.

    Once again, pro-choice advocates are making themselves look pro-abortion. And they are using HB 1136, The Woman's Right to Choose Act, to do so. Sponsored by Reps. Alma Adams (D-Guilford), Verla Insko (D-Orange), Beverly M. Earle (D-Mecklenburg), and Deborah K. Ross (D-Wake), this legislation would repeal the Woman's Right to Know Act (S.L. 2011-405). Under the Right to Know Act, abortion is still legal and relatively easy to obtain. However, the Act seeks to help women make an informed decision about their pregnancy, requiring that abortion seekers consult with a doctor about their options, undergo an ultrasound, and wait 24 hours before making a final decision.

    HB 1136 is poor legislation for a number of reasons, but mainly because the Woman's Right to Know Act is a reasonable law. It protects the woman by requiring that sound medical information be communicated about the procedure, and protects the child in instances where mothers choose life. In the United States, 1 in 3 women have an abortion by the time they are 45 years old. This staggering number exhibits a need to make sure medical practitioners are providing mothers with all the relevant medical information. Clearly North Carolina's Right to Know Act is "pro-woman"- women are now obtaining as much information as possible about their decision - so why is there opposition from the Left?

    It is interesting that pro-choice advocates despise the Right to Know Act so much to push for its repeal. Abortion is a serious medical procedure with severe emotional and physical risks for many women. If the politicians behind HB 1136 were truly looking out for the wellbeing of women, shouldn't they agree that women need to be fully aware of all their options, as well as be informed about the procedure? Some abortion clinics perform a procedure within hours, promoting a quick "in and out" visit in the likeness of a drive-thru - which should be sickening to both the pro-life and pro-choice sides of the debate. The Left is constantly creating requirements on businesses under the guise of "consumer protection." Why is it they suddenly reverse their desire to protect consumers when it comes to abortion? Why don't they want doctors providing sound medical information to a patient?

    By requiring medical practitioners to inform abortion seekers about their decision, the Woman's Right to Know Act protects life in many cases. Seeing an unborn child inside your body is a vivid image that would make many women reconsider their actions, leading abortions to be rarer in the state. Not wanting abortion seekers to be informed about the risks and available options for their pregnancy is something that neither pro-life nor pro-choice advocates should support. Promoting uninformed choice instead of the better welfare of North Carolina's women makes HB 1136 the Bad Bill of the Week.