Female senators in Utah walk out as abortion bill passes

Female senators in Utah walk out as abortion bill passes

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — All six women in the Utah Senate walked out in protest and refused to vote Wednesday on a bill mandating a woman be shown an ultrasound before receiving an abortion. The bill passed despite their absence. Republican Sen. Deidre Henderson said in a statement the walkout was not planned, but rather a spontaneous decision to underscore their concerns about “the invasive nature of the bill.” Henderson said she opposed abortion, but said the ultrasound bill goes too far. It would require showing a woman images and making the fetal heartbeat audible, if possible, before they receive an abortion.