‘PARTIAL-BIRTH’ ABORTIONS: STATE LEGISLATIVE ROUND- UP
As of June 24, 15 states have completed the approval processThis is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
of legislation that bans or limits "partial-birth" abortions.
Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles (D) was the only governor of those 15
states to veto the measure, but he was overridden by the GOP-
controlled state Legislature. Five additional state Legislatures
-- Florida, New Jersey, Missouri, Illinois and Louisiana -- have
passed similar bans, but have not received final approval.
Florida Gov. Lawton Chiles (D) and New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd
Whitman (R-NJ) vetoed the bills, but the Legislatures could still
override during this session. Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan (D) and
Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar (R) have until July 14 to sign or veto
the bills in their respective states. Louisiana Gov. Mike Foster
(R) is expected to sign that state's ban, which would bring the
number of states enacting bans to 16. In several other states,
bills to ban or limit the procedure have been introduced but are
presently at the committee level, meaning they will not pass in
the 1997 legislative session. Ohio, Michigan and Utah passed
bans prior to 1997.
KEY: Party that has majority in each chamber is indicated
by D or R. S denotes a split house. Governors whose terms
expire in 1997-1998 are in CAPS. On abortion: L=pro-life;
C=pro-choice; C^=pro-choice but against taxpayer funded
abortions; and M=a mixed record on abortion-related issues.
STATE SENATE HOUSE GOVERNOR
AL D-passed D-passed JAMES (R-L) signed
AK R-passed R-passed KNOWLES (D-C) vetoed/
overturned
AZ R-passed R-passed SYMINGTON(R-M) signed
AR D-passed D-passed HUCKABEE (R-L) signed
CA D-failed D-failed WILSON (R-C)
CO R R-failed ROMER (D-C)
CT D D ROWLAND (R-C)
DE D R-passed Carper (D-C^)
FL R-passed R-passed CHILES (D-C) veto
GA D-passed D-passed MILLER (D-C) signed
HI D D CAYETANO (D-C)
ID R R BATT (R-L)
IL R-passed D-passed EDGAR (R-C) ^
IN R-passed S-passed O'Bannon(D-C^) signed
IA R R BRANSTAD (R-L)
+KS R-passed R-passed GRAVES (R-C)
KY D D Patton (D-C)
LA D-passed D-passed Foster (R-L)
ME D-failed D-passed KING (I-C)
MD D D-failed GLENDENING (D-C)
MA D D WELD (R-C)
MI R-passed '96 D-passed '96 ENGLER(R-L) signed '96
MN D D CARLSON (R-C^)
MS D-passed D-passed Fordice (R-L) signed
MO D-passed D-passed Carnahan (D-C) ^
MT R-passed R-passed Racicot (R-L) signed
NE signed N/A NELSON (D-L) signed
NV R D MILLER (D-L)
NH R-failed R-failed SHAHEEN (D-C)
NJ R-passed R-passed WHITMAN (R-C) vetoed
NM D D JOHNSON (R-C^)
NY R-passed D-failed PATAKI (R-M)
NC D R-passed Hunt (D-C)
ND R R Schafer (R-L)
OH R-passed '95 R-passed '95 Voinovich(R-L) signed '95
OK D D-passed KEATING (R-L)
OR R R KITZHABER (D-C)
PA R R RIDGE (R-M)
RI D-failed D-passed ALMOND (R-C^)
SC D-passed R-passed BEASLEY (R-L) signed
SD R-passed R-passed JANKLOW (R-L) signed
TN D-passed D-passed SUNDQUIST (R-L) signed
TX R D BUSH (R-L)
UT R-passed '96 R-passed '96 Leavitt (R-L) signed '96
VT D D DEAN (D-C)
VA S-failed D-passed ALLEN (R-L)
WA R R-failed Locke (D-C)
WV D-failed D Underwood (R-M)
WI D R-passed THOMPSON (R-L)
WY R R GERINGER (R-L)
^Pro-choice Govs. Edgar (R) and Carnahan (D) have until 7/14
to sign or veto.
+The KS Senate was reluctant to sign the KS House version of
the bill, which was more comprehensive and restrictive than the
Senate's original bill. The session ended in stalemate.
Term limited in 1997: Allen
Term limited in 1998: Wilson, Romer, Chiles, Miller, Nelson and
Voinovich
Retiring: Carlson, Branstad