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Lawmaker who wants to reduce legal abortion window says bill is worth potential legal cost

This article originally appeared in 2 KUTV. Read it in its entirety here.

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — When a woman can legally get an abortion in Utah might soon change if one representative gets her way. 

“It’s sanctioned in Utah that it’s actually legal to dismember a fetus,” says Rep. Cheryl Acton, who represents Utah’s District 43.

Currently, the law limits abortions to 20 weeks. Acton’s bill would lower that to 15 weeks. Saving the mother’s life, rape and incest are exceptions to the 15-week limit.

When a woman can legally get an abortion in Utah might soon change if one representative gets her way.

Acton says the five-week difference will cause less pain for the fetus and better protect the mother.

“Often for women, later term abortions have much more incidents of medical problems,” Acton said.

The bill already faces opposition.

“We’re concerned that our taxpayer money is going to be used to defend the bill that’s unconstitutional, has no chance of surviving the court of appeals process,” says Lauren Simpson, Policy Director for Alliance for a Better Utah. (Photo: KUTV)

“We’re concerned that our taxpayer money is going to be used to defend the bill that’s unconstitutional, has no chance of surviving the court of appeals process,” says Lauren Simpson, Policy Director for Alliance for a Better Utah. “We would rather see that money go to other things that the state really needs like education funding or Medicaid expansion” Simpson says.

Acton says the potential legal cost is still worth the fight.

“Women’s health and fetal pain are two issues, I think, we can spend a little bit of money on,” she said.

Acton said she did not yet know how much it could cost to fight the bill.

This article originally appeared in 2 KUTV. Read it in its entirety here.

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