Saturday, May 18, 2013
Guam governor signs abortion waiting-period law
POSTED: 01:29 p.m. HST, Nov 01, 2012
LAST UPDATED: 03:40 p.m. HST, Nov 01, 2012
HAGATNA, Guam » Guam's Gov. Eddie Calvo has signed a bill that requires a woman seeking an abortion to wait 24 hours.
Pacific Daily News says Bill 52 also requires that doctors provide women seeking abortions information about alternatives to abortion and risks from the procedure.
The bill was passed by senators about a week ago in a special session by a vote of 11-4.
Calvo signed it Wednesday surrounded by the bill's supporters, including Archbishop Anthony Apuron.
The law will go into effect in about six months. That gives the Department of Public Health and Social Services time to publish the required information on abortion that doctors must provide patients.
The Guam law could face legal challenges. Similar laws in Montana, Massachusetts, and Tennessee are stalled because of court cases.
