The following highlights recent news of state actions on women's health issues.

Abortion Regulations

• Louisiana: State Rep. Tim Burns (R) on Thursday introduced a bill (HB 132) that would ban abortion in the state except in cases of rape or incest or to save the life of the pregnant woman, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. Under the measure, women undergoing abortion would not be punished, but physicians violating the bill would face between one and 10 years in prison and a fine of between $10,000 and $100,000 (Anderson, New Orleans Times-Picayune, 3/10). The bill also would mandate that exceptions for rape and incest only would be granted for abortion of fetuses at 13 weeks' gestation or less (Simpson, AP/KATC.com, 3/9). Burns said the bill is identical to a 1991 law approved in the state, which was struck down by federal courts in 1992 (New Orleans Times-Picayune, 3/10).
  


• Nebraska: The state Senate on Thursday voted 34-1 to give second-round approval to a bill (LB 57) that would allow criminal charges to be brought against a person for injuring an "unborn child," the AP/Yankton Press & Dakotan reports (O'Hanlon, AP/Yankton Press & Dakotan, 3/9). The bill -- which state Sen. Mike Foley (R) introduced in January -- would define an unborn child as "an individual member of the species Homo sapiens at any stage of development in utero" and would make intentionally causing serious harm to a fetus a felony punishable by 20 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. The bill also would create a charge of assault if a fetus were injured during the commission of another crime (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 1/23). The bill faces further consideration in the Senate, the AP/Press & Dakotan reports (AP/Yankton Press & Dakotan, 3/9).
  


• Tennessee: The state Senate on Thursday voted 24-9 to approve a bill (SJR 127) that would amend the state constitution to say that it does not guarantee the right to abortion, the AP/Houston Chronicle reports (Johnson, AP/Houston Chronicle, 3/9). The legislation, sponsored by Sen. David Fowler (R), would require a statewide constitutional referendum in 2010 to ratify the new language. If ratified, the constitution would say, "Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion" (Seibert, Tennessean, 3/10). Both chambers of the General Assembly must approve the proposal twice over the next two years -- the second time, with a two-thirds majority -- before residents can vote on the measure (AP/Houston Chronicle, 3/9).

Stem Cell Research

• Maryland: The state Senate on Thursday voted 29-18 to approve a bill (SB 144) that would establish regulations for using state funds for stem cell research but would not mandate funding, the Washington Post reports (Wagner, Washington Post, 3/10). The bill would allow state funds after July 1, 2007, to be used for both human embryonic and adult stem cell research projects. A commission would be established to evaluate research proposals, but the commission would be required to contract with an independent peer-review committee to review its work, according to the measure (Skalka, Baltimore Sun, 3/10). The state House earlier this month voted 85-54 to approve a bill (HB 1) that would provide $25 million annually in funding for stem cell research. That measure also would allow funds to be used for research on adult stem cells, but embryonic stem cell research would be a priority (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 3/7). The bill now moves to two state House committees, which could approve, amend or reject the bill (Baltimore Sun, 3/10).