Pa. abortion law goes into effect

An injunction against Pennsylvania's stringent abortion legislation has been lifted by a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision, after five years of debate in court. U. S. District Court Judge Dan H. Huyett III enforced the Supreme Court's decision by lifting the ban Monday. The legislation requires anyone attempting to get an abortion within the state of Pennsylvania to be counseled by a physician at least 24 hours before beginning the procedure. It also mandates they be given a brochure explaining the dangers of and alternatives to the operation. In addition, the law states that women under 18 must obtain permission from a parent or guardian before undergoing the procedure. The legislation calls for the state to provide the brochures that clinics must give to their clients. But, those brochures have not yet been printed. "We are petitioning [the courts] to get an emergency injunction until the brochures are distributed," said Executive Director of CHOICE Lisa Schulock. "We expect to have a decision on the request by [this] morning." In the meantime, women must wait 24 hours before having an abortion, said Robert Gentzel, spokesperson for Pennsylvania Attorney General Ernie Preate Jr. "[The legislation] is another roadblock," said University Student Health Nurse Practitioner Cynthia Bayer. "It makes abortions more expensive and less convenient. We already have some students who have had to wait a little bit longer. "It's going to be a real problem for anyone under 18," Bayer added. "Students who are under 18 are already looking at some alternative sites in New Jersey." Anti-abortion officials hail the decision as a victory, but not a major one. "I don't think [the law] makes it more difficult for women to have an abortion," said Delaware County Pro- Life Coalition President Kathy Coll. "This is only a tiny little step." Coll said she believes private physicians may not follow the law because they profit from abortions. She did, however, add that the number of abortions will go down in the long run because of the legislation. Opponents of the law say that it will have dire consequences. "I think this is going to be a majorEobstacle," said Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania Advocates' Executive Director Joan Coombs. "This law will do real harm to real people. Ernie Preate should be ashamed of himself." Coombs said while 24 hours does not seem like a long time, it can cause women to wait days, and possibly weeks, if a clinic's schedule is full. This can push the woman into her next trimester, which would make an abortion more dangerous and expensive. To decide this case, the Supreme Court used a new standard for defining freedom of choice, said Penn Women's Alliance member Debra Pickett. The "undue burden" standard states that a law cannot place an undue burden on a woman's right to choose. Pickett said the Supreme Court ruled that the provisions of this law did not constitute an undue burden. "Because of this law, getting an abortion becomes more than a major inconvenience," she said. "It becomes an undue burden." The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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