Legislation regulating how abortion clinics dispense abortion-inducing drugs no longer requires an ultrasound after the drug is taken. But Democrats say an amendment made to the bill Monday isn’t good enough.
The bill originally required two ultrasounds – one before a woman takes the abortion-inducing drug known as RU-486 and one after. Though the bill doesn’t specify the type of ultrasound, its opponents says the effect is to require transvaginal ultrasounds.
An amendment authored by Lafayette Republican Senator Ron Alting – and passed by the Senate Monday – eliminates the second ultrasound. Alting says, instead, the bill now puts the onus on physicians.
“It gives the choice to the doctor to confirm the termination and he can do that or she can do that in any way that he or she was trained to,” Alting said.
But Indianapolis Democrat Jean Breaux says the bill still requires a first ultrasound and that’s too much.
“It’s legislators practicing medicine and dictating to the physician what he or she should do in this situation,” Breaux said.
Breaux tried to amend the bill to require what she calls “invasive procedures” for men receiving erectile dysfunction drugs, but her attempt failed. The bill will be up for passage by the Senate Tuesday.
