How states giving rights to fetuses could set up a national case on abortion

Fetal personhood made headlines recently when the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that embryos are"extrauterine children." The ruling raised questions across the country about fetal personhood.Abortion access advocates are chanting and waiving signs outside the Florida Supreme Court. Inside, justices have just heard arguments on the ballot language for a proposed state constitutional amendment that would protect abortion access up to the point of viability.

"Chief Justice Muñiz is all but writing up an engraved invitation to make this argument to the Florida Supreme Court," said University of California-Davis law professor Mary Ziegler. Ziegler said each new law passed creates a cumulative effect. The more times a state recognizes a fetus as a person in one area of law, the easier it will be for lawyers to make the argument that it's inconsistent that fetuses aren't recognized as people by the Constitution. If states like Alabama and Florida recognize fetuses as people in their laws and constitutions, she said, it helps set the dominos for an argument on the national level.

Andrew Shirvell, founder of the group Florida Voice for the Unborn, told lawmakers as he spoke about the bill in committee that he would"say the quiet part out loud." From his viewpoint, he said, the wrongful death bill is"another reaffirmation that unborn children should be considered nothing less than human persons under our state laws and our state constitution."

Shortly after the Alabama ruling, the Senate sponsor of Florida's bill pulled the measure from its final committee stop.

Source: Law Daily Report (lawdailyreport.net)

United States Latest News, United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Alabama Supreme Court rules frozen embryos are 'children' under state lawMontgomery, Alabama
Source: ALNewsNetwork - 🏆 583. / 51 Read more »

Alabama Supreme Court Rules Frozen Embryos Are ‘Children’ In Chilling Legal FirstSince 2007, Jezebel has been the Internet's most treasured source for everything celebrities, sex, and politics...with teeth.
Source: Jezebel - 🏆 153. / 63 Read more »

Alabama Supreme Court Rules That Frozen Burritos Are ChildrenMONTGOMERY, AL—In a case aimed at preserving what plaintiffs described as the sanctity of reheatable Tex-Mex fare, Alabama’s Supreme Court issued a ruling Tuesday in which it asserted that frozen burritos are children.
Source: TheOnion - 🏆 724. / 51 Read more »

Alabama Supreme Court Rules Frozen Embryos are ‘Children’ Threatening IVF TreatmentsThe Alabama Supreme court ruled that frozen embryos are children, and that a person can be held liable for destroying them.
Source: TeenVogue - 🏆 481. / 51 Read more »

Alabama Supreme Court ruling raises questions about IVF accessThe court ruled recently that 'unborn children are 'children.''
Source: ABC - 🏆 471. / 51 Read more »

Alabama Supreme Court's ruling on frozen embryos causes confusion and concernAlabama doctors, couples, and attorneys are puzzled and concerned about the implications of the state Supreme Court's ruling that frozen embryos are considered people. The decision could have far-reaching effects on women's reproductive health care in a state known for its strict regulations.
Source: washingtonpost - 🏆 95. / 72 Read more »