N.H. Republicans Accidentally Approved a Bill Allowing Pregnant Women to Commit Murder

[EC]

Anti-abortion advocates often frame their arguments in terms of women’s empowerment. But rarely do they go as far as New Hampshire Republicans recently did with a bill that would have given pregnant women impunity to commit murder. ....

.... New Hampshire Republicans tried to reassure critics by including exemptions designed to protect from prosecution doctors and women seeking abortions. The bill’s original language stated that “any act committed by the pregnant woman” or a doctor acting in his professional capacity wouldn’t apply in cases of second-degree murder, manslaughter, or negligent homicide. Unfortunately, “any act” implied, well, any act. The bill “allows a pregnant woman to commit homicide without consequences,” Republican representative J.R. Hoell told the Concord Monitor. “Although that was never the intent, that is the clear reading of the language.” *blooper sound effect*

....

Full article: http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2017/06/22/n_h_republicans_accidentally_approved_a_bill_allowing_pregnant_women_to.html

[the_doc]

Anti-abortion advocates often frame their arguments in terms of women’s empowerment. But rarely do they go as far as New Hampshire Republicans recently did with a bill that would have given pregnant women impunity to commit murder. ....

.... New Hampshire Republicans tried to reassure critics by including exemptions designed to protect from prosecution doctors and women seeking abortions. The bill’s original language stated that “any act committed by the pregnant woman” or a doctor acting in his professional capacity wouldn’t apply in cases of second-degree murder, manslaughter, or negligent homicide. Unfortunately, “any act” implied, well, any act. The bill “allows a pregnant woman to commit homicide without consequences,” Republican representative J.R. Hoell told the Concord Monitor. “Although that was never the intent, that is the clear reading of the language.” *blooper sound effect*

....

Full article: http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2017/06/22/n_h_republicans_accidentally_approved_a_bill_allowing_pregnant_women_to.html

It is poorly worded, but statutes are supposed to be interpreted as to the intent of the language anyway--which intent is usually pretty easy to establish, I believe, from the legislative context.

[Smokin Joe]

It is poorly worded, but statutes are supposed to be interpreted as to the intent of the language anyway--which intent is usually pretty easy to establish, I believe, from the legislative context.

What is wrong with just getting the wording right? Don't any of these people read what they write with a critical eye? If not, they need to hire some skeptical person to read it over and look for 'gotchas'! This is just dumb.

[catfish1957]

What is wrong with just getting the wording right? Don't any of these people read what they write with a critical eye? If not, they need to hire some skeptical person to read it over and look for 'gotchas'! This is just dumb.

Pissing off a pregnant women is already dangerous as it is.

[the_doc]

What is wrong with just getting the wording right? Don't any of these people read what they write with a critical eye? If not, they need to hire some skeptical person to read it over and look for 'gotchas'! This is just dumb.

I agree.  Unfortunately, it happens a lot, more so in regulatory law than in statutory law, I think.