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Montana Senate Approves Requirements for Abortion Providers

Measure would require providers to ask women seeking abortions if they want to view ultrasounds

By Associated Press

HELENA – The Montana Senate has approved a measure that would require providers to ask women seeking abortions if they want to view ultrasounds and listen to the fetuses’ heartbeats.

The bill designed to make women reconsider having abortions passed the Senate 31-19 on Tuesday. It now goes to the House for consideration.

The measure would fine an abortion provider $1,000 for not giving a pregnant woman an opportunity to view a live ultrasound, an ultrasound image of the fetus and the heartbeat. It would require a patient to sign a form certifying that the provider made the offer.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, six states required providers to offer women the chance to view ultrasounds as of 2017.

Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock has vetoed four anti-abortion bills passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature in previous sessions.