Tuesday, April 24, 2007 16:54 PDT
Legalizing abortion in Mexico City
It’s all but a done deal: This afternoon, Mexico City’s legislative assembly voted to legalize abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, by a vote of 46-19. (The law will take effect after the city’s mayor signs the legislation, which he’s widely expected to do.) City hospitals will be required to provide abortions, and the legislation also “opens the way for private abortion clinics,” according to the Associated Press. The procedure will be basically free for low-income residents and residents with health insurance, though girls under 18 will need parental consent. Predictably, anti-choice groups plan to appeal to the country’s Supreme Court.