Lawmakers Vote Down Abortion Bill

A proposal to require doctors to allow women seeking abortions to see ultrasound images has been voted down in the Kentucky legislature. The House Health and Welfare Committee rejected the measure 9-5 today (Thursday). The perennial bill, sponsored by a series of senators over the years, has routinely passed the Republican-controlled Senate only to die in the Democratic-led House. The measure has been softened over the years from an original version that would have required doctors to show women the images to the current language that says doctors must make the images available if the women want to see them. Doctors who violate the provision would have faced fines of $100,000 or more if the bill had become law.