Judge Strikes Down 3 Montana Anti-Abortion Laws As Unconstitutional
Laws that included banning abortions after 20 weeks were struck down by District Court Judge Kurt Krueger. Meanwhile, Missouri accused Planned Parenthood of "trafficking" minors for abortions. The death of a pregnant Amish woman is among other news.
NPR:
Montana Judge Declares 3 Laws Restricting Abortion Unconstitutional
Three Montana laws restricting abortion rights, including a ban on abortions after 20 weeks, have been struck down in court as unconstitutional. ... Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, called the Thursday ruling a critical victory. "As we celebrate today, we will continue to build on this win to fight for equitable abortion access in Montana and beyond," McGill said in a statement, adding that Montana will remain a crucial access point for those seeking abortion in the Rocky Mountain West. (Ragar, 2/29)
Reuters:
Missouri Accuses Planned Parenthood Of 'Trafficking' Minors To Get Abortions
Missouri's Republican attorney general on Thursday sued a Planned Parenthood affiliate, accusing it of helping minors travel to Kansas to get abortions without notifying their parents in violation of state law. The lawsuit by Attorney General Andrew Bailey cites undercover footage released by the conservative Project Veritas last year purporting to show a Planned Parenthood Great Plains employee offer to arrange an abortion for a 13-year-old in Kansas. Missouri law bans nearly all abortions, as well as helping a minor get an abortion out of state without parental consent. (Pierson, 2/29)
AP:
Texas Prosecutor Is Fined For Allowing Murder Charges Against A Woman Who Self-Managed An Abortion
A Texas prosecutor has been disciplined for allowing murder charges to be filed against a woman who self-managed an abortion in a case that sparked national outrage. Starr County District Attorney Gocha Ramirez agreed to pay a $1,250 fine and have his license held in a probated suspension for 12 months in a settlement reached with the State Bar of Texas. Ramirez will be able to continue practicing law as long as he complies with the terms of the January settlement, which was first reported by news outlets on Thursday. (Mulvihill, 2/29)
NPR:
W.Va. Senate Passes Bill Requiring Schools Show A Fetal Development Video
West Virginia's Republican-supermajority Senate approved a bill that would require public schools to show a video on fetal development produced by an anti-abortion rights group. The bill, referred to as the "Baby Olivia" bill, would require public schools to show a three-minute, high-definition video showing the "development of the brain, heart, sex organs, and other vital organs in early fetal development" to eighth graders and tenth graders. (Heaney, Rosenbaum, Watkins, and Sostaric, 3/1)
The Washington Post:
Police Investigate Killing Of 23-Year-Old Pregnant Amish Mother
Police opened an investigation into the killing of Rebekah A. Byler, a pregnant Amish woman who was found dead in her rural Pennsylvania home this week, rocking the small community. The incident is being treated as a “criminal homicide,” Pennsylvania State Police said in a statement. They did not release a cause of death or identify any suspects, adding that they were “aggressively investigating all available leads.” (Suliman, 2/29)
