INCREMENTALISM ROLLS ALONG:

Abortion foes gain on new front (Joan Biskupic, 2/08/06, USA TODAY)

A new front in the debate over abortion is emerging in legislatures across the nation. Abortion foes are gaining ground with proposals to require doctors to tell women seeking abortions that their fetuses might feel pain during the procedure.

State "fetal pain" bills began popping up last year in the wake of other statutes that have drawn attention to the interests of fetuses, including bans on a procedure that its critics call "partial birth" abortion.

Fetal pain bills were introduced in 19 states in 2005, and were passed in Arkansas, Georgia, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Wisconsin bill was vetoed last month by Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle, who said it failed "to reflect a consensus of medical opinion" and "intrudes on the doctor-patient relationship in a heavy-handed manner."

There are two patients.

Posted by Orrin Judd at February 14, 2006 12:00 AM