SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) – ABC 4 News has learned a Pro-Life "Personhood" resolution may soon be debated by Utah's legislature.
This could be the first step towards putting an abortion question on the Utah ballot.
“Personhood" bills have been tried in several other states and they are highly controversial.
Simply put, these bills define life as beginning with conception.
The legislator behind Utah’s abortion resolution is Aaron Osmond.
He's the new Republican senator who replaced Chris Buttars.
Osmond didn't want to go on camera but he did confirm that it is a "Personhood" measure.
So, we asked the Eagle Forum's Gayle Ruzicka about it.
Ruzicka told ABC 4,
"We're looking at it and studying it out and then we'll decide."
Ruzicka further explained that interested parties and lawyers are meeting on this issue and a decision will be made soon about whether to run it.
She also explained what's behind this possible resolution,
"Every year we have some Pro-Life bills. That's how we get there. We just keep chiseling away and chiseling away. If we save a baby here and save a baby there, we have been successful."
But there is one other thing here which caught our attention.
For an issue as potentially important as this, why run this as a resolution - which usually doesn't have as much teeth - and not as a bill which does?
It’s a question we put to Ruzicka.
To which she replied,
“Because it's necessary to start as a resolution to get where we want to be."
This could means that if Senator Osmond goes ahead with this resolution - and it's passed by two thirds of the legislature - it could go on the election ballot.
Utah voters could then decide whether human life, "Personhood," begins at conception.
As Ruzicka made very clear,
"We want to save babies. So, whatever we can do to save babies is what we're going to do."
Reportedly, Utah's Pro-Choice forces are aware of this resolution and have serious concerns about it.
*** UPDATE ***After this story was posted on this website, Senator Osmond sent us the following statement:
"At the request of citizens' groups I am exploring whether it would be appropriate to more clearly define when human life begins. Currently, the Utah Constitution does not specify when an embryo is legally considered a person.
Since establishing a clear definition has the possibility of influencing policy and statute in our state, I am reaching out to all stakeholders who may be affected by this issue so they can take an active role in the process.
If you have thoughts or concerns, please contact me: aosmond@le.utah.gov."
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