The Arkansas House of Representatives approved a bill Monday that would require a physician to be in the room during a chemical abortion.
House Bill 1076, sponsored by Rep. Julie Mayberry, R-Hensley, will now head to the state Senate for approval.
Mayberry said the bill will stop telemedicine abortions, also called "webcam abortions," from becoming a practice in Arkansas.
Mayberry gave an example of a woman in rural Arkansas receiving advice from a doctor in New York City via webcam and said following an interview, a drawer containing two doses of medicine would open for the patient.
"One of those doses she will take right then and there and essentially, that dose of medication kills the baby," Mayberry said. "Three days later, she takes medication and that medication expels the baby and the woman is away from the doctor at that time."
Rep. Deborah Ferguson, D-West Memphis, told House members she was surprised to be speaking in favor of the bill because she believes in a woman's right to choose.
"We want [abortions] to be safe, legal and rare," Ferguson said. "I feel the bill properly addresses the safety issue."
Rep. John W. Walker, D-Little Rock, questioned what women in low-income areas of the state would do if they could not afford to travel for an abortion, and Ferguson said that allowing abortion care via webcam would "set up a double standard for care of patients" in rural areas.
The House passed the bill with 83 voting for the bill, and Reps. Eddie L. Armstrong, D-North Little Rock, Fredrick J. Love, D-Little Rock, David Whitaker, D-Fayetteville and Walker voting against.
Reps. Charles L. Armstrong, D-Little Rock, Charles Blake, D-Little Rock, Kenneth B. Ferguson, D-Pine Bluff, Greg Leding, D-Fayetteville, Clarke Tucker, D-Little Rock and Marshall Wright, D-Forrest City, voted present.
Read Tuesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
