DE lawmakers introduce new abortion bill

DOVER, Del. – “This puts extreme restrictions on women’s abortion rights.”

Democratic Senator Laura Sturgeon isn’t too happy with the latest attempt to restrict abortions in the first state.

Last week, Delaware lawmakers introduced “Senate Bill 21″ and if it goes through, an unborn child around 20 weeks old will be protected.

Republican Senator Bryant Richardson says, “At 20 weeks, the child should be identified as a person. As a matter of fact, in Delaware, once a child is recognized for its ‘person-hood,’ he or she has the same rights under the 14th amendment as anyone else.”

The authors of the legislation say that a fetus can feel pain 20 weeks after fertilization and it’s why “The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act” would make it illegal for a physician or licensed practitioner to perform or induce abortion after 20 weeks.

If passed, anyone who violates this act could be guilty of a class D felony.

The Bill’s primary sponsor, Senator Richardson tells 47 ABC only if there is a severe health risk to the mother if she were to complete the pregnancy, would abortions after this time be protected.

Senator Richardson says, “Otherwise its a healthy child and you need to take into consideration that this is another human being, a healthy human being that has a right to life just like anyone else.”

Senator Richardson also tells 47 ABC the new bill would not overturn Roe v. Wade.

He says, “Women still have the right to choose, up to 20 weeks.”

However, Senator Sturgeon tells it, it absolutely overturns a woman’s right to choose.

She said, “To have the legislature come in and interfere in a decision that should be a private decision between a doctor and woman is completely inappropriate and creates a complete hardship for women who find themselves with an un-welcomed, unplanned pregnancy after 20 weeks.”