New Abortion Deadline Proposed In Bill That Has Little Chance Of Success

As legislatures around the country have renewed efforts to restrict abortions, an Anne Arundel County Republican has proposed a Maryland law that would impose a deadline on when a woman could receive an abortion during the course of her pregnancy. But even he doesn’t think the proposal will make it out of committee.

Legislation titled the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, SB 34, sponsored by Sen. Ed Reilly dictates that after 20 weeks into a pregnancy, a physician would not be permitted to induce an abortion, except in cases of medical emergency. The 20-week cut off was determined by the bill’s proponents, who provided data that says the fetus develops pain receptors by that date.

Reilly said he anticipates there will not be a committee vote for the bill, though he said members of the Senate Finance Committee were respectful of the bill when they heard it Wednesday.

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