BECOME AVAILABLE.
BARRY:
ADVOCATES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE
ABORTION ISSUE LOBBIED LAWMAKERS
AT THE STATEHOUSE TODAY.
22NEWS REPORTER JODI REED IS IN
BOSTON WITH DETAILS ON THE
PROPOSED
CHANGES TO MASSACHUSETTS
ABORTION LAWS..
JODI REED:
MEMBERS OF THE JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE HEARD DOZENS OF BILLS
TODAY, BUT THE
ONE THE PIQUED THE MOST PUBLIC
INTEREST HAD TO DO WITH ABORTION
ACCESS.
PRO-CHOICE AND PRO-LIFE
ACTIVISTS FILLED THE HEARING
ROOM AND 2 OTHER
OVERFLOW ROOMS TO GET A CHANCE
TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS ON WHAT
IS
BEING CALLED THE 'ROE' ACT.
THE BILL WOULD ALLOW WOMEN TO
GET AN ABORTION AFTER 24 WEEKS
WHEN HEALTH
OR LIFE OF THE PERSON PREGNANT
IS AT RISK.
THE LEGSILATION WOULD ALSO ALLOW
WOMEN TO GET AN ABORTION WITHOUT
PARENTAL CONSENT.
WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS FOR
A SMALL NUMBER
OF PEOPLE, TO OFFER
COMPASSIONATE CARE, TO OFFER
ALTERNATIVES.
PRO LIFE DEMONSTRATORS WHO
OPPOSE THE BILL BELIEVE IT WOULD
INCREASE ABORTION RATES WHILE
TAKING AWAY PARENTAL CONTROL.
AND ELIMINATE PARENTIAL CONSENT
FOR GIRLS UNDER
18, SO A GIRL AS YOUNG AS 12
COULD HAVE AN ABORTION.
PRO-LIFE AND PRO-CHOICE
ORGANIZATIONS WERE GIVEN THE
SAME 3
MINUTE TIME FRAME TO TESTIFY ON
THE BILL.
MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE WERE
BANNED BY THE COMMITTEE FROM
'BOOING' OR 'HISSING' AT
OPPOSING OPINIONS.
JODI REED:
AS MANY STATES MOVE TO BAN
ABORTION ALL TOGETHER, OTHERS
ARE WORKING TO
EXPAND ABORTION ACCESS.
MEMBERS OF THE JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE WILL DECIDE WHERE
MASSACHUSETTS FALLS ON THAT
SPECTRUM.
IN BOSTON, JODI REED 22NEWS.
