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The House Health and Welfare Committee blocked a Senate bill which would have required abortion providers to show a woman the ultrasound of her unborn fetus prior to the procedure.

The bill had passed the Senate last month 32-4. The vote came after two women who had abortions in the past pleaded for passage of the legislation, claiming they wished they had seen the pictures of their unborn babies.

"I was never offered an ultrasound picture or offered to hear the heart beat of my child," Heidi Reihing of Lexington said of her abortion 13 years ago.

"I chose an abortion because I thought it was the only choice I had. My life has not been the same since. I lived in darkness, shame and anger for over 13 years now. It's a huge lie when the abortion doctors say just sit there, it will be over quickly in a few minutes and you'll never have to think about it again, you never stop thinking about it."

The bill's sponsor, Senator Elizabeth Tori, (R) Radcliff, claims the legislation is not a pro life-pro choice debate, but a volunteer for the ACLU says the legislation makes an already difficult situation even "more onerous" because it also requires the woman to have a face to face consultation with the provider the day before the abortion.

"This legislation is punitive in nature and splits Kentucky women into two classes, city women and rural women," said Mary Jo Davis, ACLU volunteer.

After her testimony Davis told that she also opposes mandating the showing of the ultrasound.

This is the fourth time the ultrasound bill has been stopped in the Kentucky General Assembly, but the bill's sponsor says she's not giving up. "The Lord willing and the creek don't rise, I will be here next year to do it again," said Tori.

Source: ABC 36 News

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