JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - The Senate Judiciary Committee began taking testimony Monday on a bill allowing civil penalties for the death of an unborn child.
A 2006 law established the unborn can be found by a court to be a victim of murder, manslaughter or negligent homicide.
A bill sponsored by Anchorage Republican Sen. Lesil McGuire attaches possible civil penalties to those convicted of a crime in the death of an unborn child.
Sen. Bill Wielechowski (wil-a-COW’-skee), a Democrat from Anchorage, says he wants to hear from physicians and nurses who could be affected by the measure.
Forty states have similar laws in place allowing civil and criminal penalties in the death of an unborn child.
The committee will take additional testimony on the bill Wednesday.
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