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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 27, 2022 03:57 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Timothy R. Bonner |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Pain Control for the Unborn |
| We all have strong beliefs as to whether the fetus is human life entitled to protection under the law or whether the fetus is cellular tissue which is not entitled to protection under the law until either born or reaches a point of viability within the mother's womb. Regardless, there is no question that the fetus is a living organism within the womb that has sensory perceptions including being subject to the sensation of pain. When a fetus undergoes a medical procedure within the womb, the fetus is typically administered pain medication. However, when an abortion is performed, the fetus is not given any medication to relieve pain even though the fetus is removed from the womb by dismemberment of its bodily parts. Such a procedure can obviously cause great pain to the fetus in its final moments of life. There is absolutely no reason to intentionally and unnecessarily cause any form of life great pain in its final moments when pain medication is readily available. The proposed legislation will require pain medication to be administered to a fetus prior to an abortion if the fetus is more than 15 weeks gestational age. Fifteen weeks gestational age is a point in development that many medical experts believe a fetus can experience pain. There is no reason not to give the fetus the benefit of any question when it can feel pain particularly at a time when the existence of the innocent fetus is being terminated. Regardless of where we stand on the issue of abortion, surely we all share the compassion that no form of life should be extinguished through a painful process when the pain can otherwise be relieved. I would ask your support and co-sponsorship of this compassionate legislation addressing a very painful process which seeks to end the existence of life. |
Introduced as HB753