"Personhood" Push in Senate Bill Creates Concern for Fertility Doctors
By: Josh Berry
Updated: March 14, 2013
Reproductive rights of were women at stake in a Senate bill making its way through the legislature Thursday.
Certain language in the bill, which is waiting to become law, concerned some people that say it could keep you from certain infertility treatments.
Those concerns however, put at ease Thursday.
When certain groups and businesses found out treatments like In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) could be affected by Senate Bill 417, regarding "Personhood", they jumped all over it asking Senator Jim Hendrin, who wrote the bill, and Thursday's committee meeting, to change certain language.
They did, making the necessary amendments.
For businesses and organizations like Arkansas Fertility and Gynecology, who treat ectopic pregnancies, early pregnancy failures, miscarriages and provide contraception, all three of the amendments made apply to those, but they say specifically the amendment regarding IVF is the one they were most concerned about.
Doctor Dean Moutos with Arkansas Fertility spoke before a House Judiciary Committee Thursday asking they review how the bill was written.
"Our main concern is that we didn't want this bill to limit the reproductive rights of women, especially with the regard to reproduction and infertility treatment," Dr. Moutos said. "That was not the intent of the bill and we wanted to make sure that the wording of the bill properly reflect that. It would not compromise what we offer patients in terms of fertility treatment."
They said they met with Sen. Hendrin before the committee meeting and mentioned that he was very receptive to the concerns and that it was not his intention to interfere with the scope of practice or limit reproductive choices.
Senate Bill 417 modifies the definition of an unborn child as a person in the criminal code.
If it passed as is, organizations like Arkansas Fertility could be held liable during ectopic or nonviable pregnancies.
Senate Bill 417 passed the Senate Monday.
It went to a House Judiciary Committee Thursday that sent it up to the House recommending it pass as amended.
Two states have tried to make Personhood law. Colorado has done it twice, and Mississippi did once.
All three attempts happened in the last three years and all three of those cases were ballot initiatives that were voted down.
Certain language in the bill, which is waiting to become law, concerned some people that say it could keep you from certain infertility treatments.
Those concerns however, put at ease Thursday.
When certain groups and businesses found out treatments like In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) could be affected by Senate Bill 417, regarding "Personhood", they jumped all over it asking Senator Jim Hendrin, who wrote the bill, and Thursday's committee meeting, to change certain language.
They did, making the necessary amendments.
For businesses and organizations like Arkansas Fertility and Gynecology, who treat ectopic pregnancies, early pregnancy failures, miscarriages and provide contraception, all three of the amendments made apply to those, but they say specifically the amendment regarding IVF is the one they were most concerned about.
Doctor Dean Moutos with Arkansas Fertility spoke before a House Judiciary Committee Thursday asking they review how the bill was written.
"Our main concern is that we didn't want this bill to limit the reproductive rights of women, especially with the regard to reproduction and infertility treatment," Dr. Moutos said. "That was not the intent of the bill and we wanted to make sure that the wording of the bill properly reflect that. It would not compromise what we offer patients in terms of fertility treatment."
They said they met with Sen. Hendrin before the committee meeting and mentioned that he was very receptive to the concerns and that it was not his intention to interfere with the scope of practice or limit reproductive choices.
Senate Bill 417 modifies the definition of an unborn child as a person in the criminal code.
If it passed as is, organizations like Arkansas Fertility could be held liable during ectopic or nonviable pregnancies.
Senate Bill 417 passed the Senate Monday.
It went to a House Judiciary Committee Thursday that sent it up to the House recommending it pass as amended.
Two states have tried to make Personhood law. Colorado has done it twice, and Mississippi did once.
All three attempts happened in the last three years and all three of those cases were ballot initiatives that were voted down.
