Sydney, Australia, Jul 30, 2019 / 14:02 pm
A bill that would decriminalize abortion in the Australian state of New South Wales has been delayed at least a week after conservative complaints that the legislation had been rushed through.
The bill, which has 15 co-sponsoring MPs, would allow abortions for any reason up to 22 weeks of pregnancy. After that, it would allow for abortions if two doctors believe an abortion should be performed "in light of future physical, social and psychological circumstances," according to The Guardian.
According to the Australian publication The Catholic Weekly, the bill does not mandate any counseling or period of consideration for the woman, and it would require doctors with conscientious objections to refer women to other abortion providers.
The legislation would also make it a criminal offense for individuals to perform abortions without the proper authorizations, carrying a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment for doing so.