A Seaford-area lawmaker is introducing two bills to create stricter abortion laws.
State Senator Bryant Richardson announced his legislation in Senate chambers Tuesday to a room full of supporters.
One bill would ban abortions after 20 weeks of fetal development—with the exception of pregnancies with serious medical complications. Another would require doctors to offer, but not necessarily perform, an ultrasound and fetal heart tone auscultation before terminating a pregnancy.
Richardson stresses pregnant women would still have the right to refuse the ultrasound.
“They do not have to see. They don’t have to view the ultrasound. They don’t have to hear the heartbeat,” said Richardson. “It’s incumbent on the doctors to offer that, but they don’t have to if they refuse. If they don’t want to, they don’t have to. ”
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists opposed a similar federal bill and argues research shows fetuses don't feel pain at 20 weeks. Richardson says some studies show they can.
“We do not want to tear the arms and legs off of the unborn when they can feel pain,” said Richardson. “We don’t even want to do it prior to that time, but especially when they can experience excruciating pain. They have a right to life.”
Richardson cites a bill passed last session replacing stillbirth certificates with certificates of birth resulting in stillbirth. He says that legislation shows Delaware recognizes the humanity of unborn babies.
The federal version of Richardson's bill has passed the House multiple times but has yet to clear the Senate. A few states have put similar measures into law.
Richardson also introduced his version of that bill and the ultrasound bill last session. Both failed to get out of committee.
