A controversial bill is awaiting the signature of Utah Governor Gary Herbert. If the governor does nothing, the bill becomes law. Why is this bill so dangerous?
In a nut shell, the bill criminalizes reckless behavior that causes a miscarriage. The bill’s sponsor, State Representative Wimmer (R) says of course not wearing a seat belt would not cause a pregnant woman to be prosecuted. However, the lawmaker could not give real assurances that this wouldn’t happen. He did add that taking drugs could be determined reckless behavior.
The bill, ostensibly, was created because some teenager paid another person money to beat her in hopes of aborting. The fetus lived and Utah law failed to provide a means to prosecute the girl beaten or the person who did it. Wimmer also says that this bill’s intent is not to restrict legal abortion. (note raised eyebrow) It would seem that this law is just poised and perched to be a test case for legal abortion to be criminalized.
