Breaking: Two Bills Filed Today: Late-Term Abortion Ban HB 390 & Parental Notification for Minor Girls Seeking Abortion HB 391

Breaking: TWO BILLS FILED TODAY: LATE-TERM ABORTION BAN HB 390 AND PARENTAL NOTIFICATION FOR MINOR GIRLS SEEKING ABORTION HB 391. Stay informed with the latest updates, sign up with NMAFL.

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New Mexico Alliance for Life has been working closely with legislators in support of the Late Term Abortion Ban Act, HB 390 sponsored by Rep. Yvette Herrell (R - Alamogordo) and the Parental Notification of Abortion Act HB 391 sponsored by Rep. Alonzo Baldonado (R- Los Lunas) that already have bi-partisan support from the NM House of Representatives and Governor Susana Martinez.  Both bills have been assigned to the following House Committees:  Regulatory Public Affairs and House Judiciary. 
 Both bills will also need bi-partisan support from the New Mexico Senate in order to reach the Governor's desk and become law.   Contact both your State Senator and State Representative and respectfully let them know you encourage their support of BOTH bills HB 390 and HB 391.  This is a very simple thing you can do now to support LIFE and protect women and our young girls. Our leaders must hear from us now if we expect to see change. 

CLICK HERE  TO FIND YOUR LEGISLATOR & CONTACT THEM NOW IF you do not know who your legislators are, use the "Search by Address" option to input your home address.  *Note you will have one State Representative and one State Senator.

"This legislation addresses the fact that elective late-term abortions in New Mexico are neither safe nor rare, and the majority of New Mexicans believe that unborn children at the point of viability deserve protection," said Rep. Herrell. "We look forward to the day where these unborn children are protected and there are safer solutions for women rather than risky late-term abortions." 

This bill addresses elective late-term abortions that are performed up to the day of birth on healthy mothers and includes exceptions for a woman's health and safety or rape, incest or abuse. 

"New Mexicans do not want to see abortions performed until the day of birth in our state," said Elisa Martinez, president of New Mexico Alliance for Life. "New Mexico has become a hotbed for abortion businesses setting up in our state because of the lack of any common-sense protections for women and girls from abortion, especially late-term abortions which are more dangerous than giving birth."  

A recent Albuquerque Journal Editorial, stated "just 14 percent thought abortion should be legal in the last three months of pregnancy and 80 percent opposed it."

Currently, Albuquerque is home to one of only four late-term abortion facilities in the U.S. and believed to be the largest with out-of-state doctors flying into New Mexico weekly to preform lucrative late-term abortions. In October, an out-of-state abortion business owner announced  the opening of a new abortion facility in Las Cruces because of the tightening of abortion laws in other states.

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House Majority Whip Representative Alonzo Baldonado (R-Los Lunas) introduced the Parental Notification Bill which requires abortion providers notify a minor child's parent 48 hours before their underage daughter undergoes an abortion. This bill is backed by both Republicans and Democrats. In cases where pregnancy is the result of rape, invest or sexual abuse, CYFD is notified to investigate and protect the minor. Once CYFD confirms that the pregnancy is from rape, insist or sexual abuse, parental notification is waived. 

"In school, you need parental notification to administer aspirin; it's common-sense to notify parents is their child is about to undergo a major medical procedure," Rep. Baldonado said. 

Democrat Rep. Jim Trujillo (D-Santa Fe) added, "This is about protecting life. This is a very common-sense and pragmatic way to go about it." 

The Late-Term and Partial Birth Abortion act will add a new section prohibiting late-term abortions to the existing partial birth abortion ban act.  It prohibits abortions after 20 weeks (about five months of pregnancy) and affirms that only a physician may perform an abortion.  There is a presumption of viability at 20 weeks, which can only be overcome by a physician's objective testing consistent with recent Supreme Court rulings defining viability.  There are exceptions to the prohibition where the life and health of the mother is at risk. If this exception is used, however, the physician must attempt to save the life of the unborn baby.  There is another exception based on rape, incest or abuse.  The new statute will impose civil penalties on the physician who violates the act. There is a minimum of one year suspension of the physician's license and at least a $5,000 fine.

If a physician performs an abortion on a minor without notification, the doctor will face civil penalties of at least $5,000. Additionally, the doctor's license will be taken away for at least a year. 

Penalties for both bills apply to only to the doctor.

STAY INFORMED WITH THE LATEST AND BREAKING NEWS ON PRO-LIFE LEGISLATION FROM NEW MEXICO ALLIANCE FOR LIFE.  PLEASE SHARE WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

New Mexico Alliance for Life would like to thank these Democrat Legislators for their bipartisan support of pro-life bills:
Rep. Patty Lundstrom (Gallup)                    
Rep. Nick Salazar (Española) 
Rep. Jim Trujillo (Santa Fe)                         
Rep. James Madalena (Jemez)
Rep. Bobby Gonzales (Taos)                      
Rep. Patricio Ruiloba (Albuquerque)

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