Let's talk a little about implications of overturning Roe in Utah.
This year Utah passed a law that, if Roe is overturned, would give a woman who has an abortion a 2nd degree felony-- that's 15 years in prison. (& remember, most women who get abortions are already moms.) 1/ https://twitter.com/SonjaHutson/status/1308423333512347652
This year Utah passed a law that, if Roe is overturned, would give a woman who has an abortion a 2nd degree felony-- that's 15 years in prison. (& remember, most women who get abortions are already moms.) 1/ https://twitter.com/SonjaHutson/status/1308423333512347652
That's not just 15 years in prison if a doctor performs an abortion. That's also if a pregnant person self-administers an abortion. Even if something goes wrong and they go to the hospital for help-- 15 years in prison.
This exact scenario came up in committee hearing, btw. 2/
This exact scenario came up in committee hearing, btw. 2/
And how is Utah planning to distinguish between an abortion vs a miscarriage or stillbirth? It was never discussed in the #utleg.
Prosecutions will cut along the same race and class lines as everything else in the crim justice system: https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/planned-parenthood-advocates-arizona/blog/when-miscarriage-is-a-crime 3/
Prosecutions will cut along the same race and class lines as everything else in the crim justice system: https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/planned-parenthood-advocates-arizona/blog/when-miscarriage-is-a-crime 3/
This same year, the #utleg reduced the penalty for practicing bigamy down from a felony to an infraction. It didn't *legalize* it, but lawmakers recognized that making it a felony was punitive and made the situation worse, not better. That bill passed w overwhelming support. 4/
@RepAStoddard brought an amendment to do the same thing with the abortion ban. It would *still be illegal* in Utah-- but if a mom had a self-managed abortion, she would not have to go to prison for 15 years.
That amendment failed. The #utleg wanted the felony. 5/
That amendment failed. The #utleg wanted the felony. 5/
And again, nobody *wants* abortion. It's a situation everyone wants to avoid.
The way to reduce abortions & miscarriages is through helping people get better health care, education, financial stability, cleaner air, etc etc etc. 6/
The way to reduce abortions & miscarriages is through helping people get better health care, education, financial stability, cleaner air, etc etc etc. 6/
We can never eliminate abortion & miscarriage, but we can reduce them. That's a good goal.
Overturning Roe is a terrible goal. It opens the door to the punitive future that extreme politicians in Utah have been planning. I don't think that's actually what anyone wants. 7/
Overturning Roe is a terrible goal. It opens the door to the punitive future that extreme politicians in Utah have been planning. I don't think that's actually what anyone wants. 7/