NATION IN BRIEF : PENNSYLVANIA : State Senate Debates Stiff Abortion Curbs

The state Senate debated a bill that would make Pennsylvania’s abortion law the toughest in the nation, taking advantage of greater authority allowed by a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision. Despite amendments introduced by pro-choice forces, the legislation was expected to be passed unchanged and Democratic Gov. Robert P. Casey has said he would sign it. The bill would require women to notify their husbands if they plan to get an abortion; prohibit abortions based on the fetus’ sex; ban abortions after the 24th week of pregnancy, except in cases in which the mother faces death or irreversible harm, and establish a 24-hour waiting period. It would also regulate the medical use of fetus tissue. The debate came just two weeks after voters in New Jersey and Virginia elected governors who succeeded in winning their races partly because of their pro-choice positions.