Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Untangling The Inflammatory Rhetoric Around Abortion Bills In Georgia, Alabama
The Washington Post: Could Miscarriages Land Women In Jail? Let’s Clarify These Georgia And Alabama Abortion Bills.
Abortion legislation in Georgia and Alabama ascended in the news cycle this week, with Georgia’s governor signing a “heartbeat bill” into law on Tuesday and Alabama’s Senate postponing until next week its vote on a near-total abortion ban. The Georgia law will ban abortions after a doctor is able to detect “a fetal heartbeat in the womb,” usually at about six weeks, before many women know they are pregnant. It was one of the nation’s most stringent proposals until the all-out ban introduced in Alabama. (Paul and Wax-Thibodeaux, 5/12)
The Washington Post: Ohio Abortion Bill Includes False Claim About Ectopic Pregnancy
An abortion bill introduced in Ohio’s legislature drew scorn this week for including misinformation about a dangerous medical condition that can affect pregnant women. Some health experts see the bill’s language as another example of politicians trying to legislate women’s health without considering the medical implications. The House bill, which was first introduced in April by Ohio state Rep. John Becker (R), seeks to limit insurance coverage for abortion procedures where the mother’s life is not endangered. It would also bar coverage for drugs or devices that prevent the implantation of a fertilized egg, which experts say could affect certain kinds of IUDs. (Epstein, 5/10)
The Associated Press: More 'Heartbeat' Abortion Bans Advancing In South, Midwest
If a new Mississippi law survives a court challenge, it will be nearly impossible for most pregnant women to get an abortion there. Or, potentially, in neighboring Louisiana. Or Alabama. Or Georgia. The Louisiana legislature is halfway toward passing a law — like the ones enacted in Mississippi and Georgia — that will ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, about six weeks into a pregnancy and before many women know they're pregnant. Alabama is on the cusp of approving an even more restrictive bill. (5/11)
The New York Times: The Race To Limit Abortion Access
This year, with the future of Roe v. Wade newly in question after the appointment of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, a rash of abortion-related bills have been making their way through statehouses. The vast majority are bills to restrict access to abortion, though a couple are efforts to shore up abortion rights. This week, Georgia and Alabama have made moves to restrict access to the procedure. Alabama’s is one of the most aggressive ever in the U.S., aiming to criminalize abortion. The vote, initially expected to take place on Thursday, was delayed until next week after chaos erupted on the Senate floor. (Salam, 5/10)
The Hill: Additional Actors, Filmmakers Boycott Georgia Over New Abortion Law
More actors and film production companies, such as Alyssa Milano and Duplass Brothers Productions, have joined a boycott of the state of Georgia after Gov. Brian Kemp (R) signed a new "heartbeat" abortion bill into law. Milano told BuzzFeed News in a statement Thursday that she will not return to Netflix's "Insatiable" for a third season if the show's filming does not move to a different state. (Frazin, 5/10)
Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio Bill Would Ban Most Insurance Coverage For Abortions
A Clermont County Republican wants to ban most insurance coverage of abortions in Ohio. His bill includes an exception for re-implanting an ectopic pregnancy into the uterus. The problem? Doctors say that procedure does not exist. (Balmert, 5/10)
And President Donald Trump's statements about babies who are born alive following a failed abortion are fact checked —
The Associated Press Fact Check: Trump, His Baby 'Executions' And The Reality
President Donald Trump, in what's become a staple of his rallies, accuses doctors of executing babies who are born alive after a failed abortion attempt. His comments, meant to taint Democrats, have been embraced by many anti-abortion activists, and assailed as maliciously false by many medical professionals. What's clear is that he is oversimplifying a deeply complex issue. It's already a crime to kill babies, but not necessarily a crime to forgo sophisticated medical intervention in cases where severe fetal abnormalities leave a newborn with no chance of survival. (Crary, 5/13)
