If a doctor is going to perform an abortion, shouldn’t he at least be in the room? An important bill before the Montana Legislature would require exactly that. House Bill 587 by Representative Keith Regier bans abortions by “telemedicine,” where a doctor might be anywhere else in the world, logging in via videoconference and supervising the abortion. The bill is scheduled for a hearing this morning in the House Judiciary Committee.
Abortion is a serious medical procedure. It can have serious side effects and consequences, up to and including death. The abortion industry throws around breezy terms like “Plan B” to describe abortion methods. They try to make it sound like abortion is no big deal.
But make no mistake. It is a big deal.
It’s certainly a big enough deal that the doctor should be present in case something goes wrong. That’s why HB587 is a good idea. It’s a simple fact that any medical procedure is safer when a doctor is present. That’s especially true for something as serious as abortion.
This legislative session has seen a lot of great results for life. Representative Regier’s other bill, to increase penalties when someone assaults a pregnant woman, has already passed the House of Representatives and the Senate Judiciary Committee. Meanwhile, the Montana Supreme Court ruled that Montana’s law requiring parental notification for a minor to get an abortion can stand. They also ruled that our law requiring parental consent for a minor abortion can advance to the next stage in its lawsuit.
Now we have an opportunity for one more victory. Let’s go out and win it together.
If you want to add your voice to the chorus of Montana families supporting HB587, I urge you to go to the Montana Family Foundation’s website at www.montanafamily.org. Click on the “Montana Legislature” button and you’ll find a link to contact legislators. Use that link to tell your legislators, or the whole House Judiciary Committee, that you support HB587. Or to make things simpler, you can call 444-4800 and leave a message for the House Judiciary Committee that you support HB587. Remember, it’s 444-4800, House Judiciary Committee, Support HB 587. Your call could be the one that pushes a legislator over the line into voting for the bill.
This pro-woman, pro-safety, pro-life legislation is already under attack by Planned Parenthood, and they’re making plans to turn out their people in force. But I know that Montana families are equal to the challenge.
This is the reason that public participation is such an important part of the Legislative process. If only Planned Parenthood supporters make their voices heard, then Legislators might not have the courage of their convictions to vote for life. But if they know there’s a massive movement of Montana parents and families standing at their back, it will be easier for them to make the right vote.
Remember, the number to call is 444-4800. Tell the House Judiciary Committee you support HB587. Or go online to www.montanafamily.org and click the Montana Legislature button on our website to find options for e-mailing your legislator. If you’re in Helena, please consider going to the state capitol this morning to let the Legislators know that you’re one of the thousands of Montanans who support women’s safety, who support life and who support HB587.
