Florida Gov. Charlie Crist vetoes ultrasound abortion bill
As expected, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, who is running for the U.S. Senate, has vetoed legislation that would have required a woman to get an ultrasound test before an abortion.
“This bill places an inappropriate burden on a woman seeking to terminate a pregnancy,” Crist said in his veto message.
The measure would have required most women to have an ultrasound before having an abortion, unless the woman could prove she was a victim of rape, incest, domestic violence or human trafficking. Women could choose not to see the ultrasound or hear a description of it.
The Tallahassee Democrat explains Crist’s action on HB 1143:
Crist has made no secret, all week, that he didn’t like the bill requiring abortion providers to do ultrasound examinations and give women an opportunity to view the results before having the procedure. The bill also included language that legislative Republicans wrote to prevent what they considered the possibility of federal funding being used for abortion in Florida, along with some provisions intended to thwart President Obama’s national health care program.
In April, when it became clear he would not win the primary, Crist left the Republican Party to run for the U.S. Senate as an independent.
Earlier this week it was noted that Crist has removed anti-abortion language from his campaign website.
