Republicans who control the Arizona House have approved legislation requiring abortion clinics to ask women if they are victims of sex assault, incest or sex trafficking and provide the patient with ways to contact law enforcement.
The 35-22 party-line vote on the House floor Monday came after nearly two hours of debate between Democrats and Republicans. The new provisions requiring the abuse questions were added Monday after a committee had earlier stripped out provisions from the proposal requiring doctors to ask women specifically why they were seeking an abortion.
Republican Rep. Eddie Farnsworth says the new requirements are designed to help women who may be victims of abuse. Minority Democrats called the new requirements intrusive, unneeded and designed to shame women.
The legislation is Senate Bill 1394.
