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'Personhood" amendment passes State Senate

The North Dakota Senate has passed a state Constitutional amendment – that declares life begins at conception.

It’s been dubbed the “Personhood” amendment.

“This amendment is intended to present a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade,”  said the prime sponsor, State Sen.Margaret Sitte (R-Bismarck). “By passage of this amendment, the people of North Dakota are asking government to recognize what science already defined.”

Sitte said the Supreme Court in 1973 did not have such tools as DNA testing at its disposal. She said she believes the Court would have ruled differently if it had those tools.

The measure prohibits all abortions – and does not carve out any exceptions for rape, incest or the life of the woman.

Grand Forks Democratic Senator Connie Triplett says that’s why she voted “no.”

“So long as this proposed amendment does not make some consideration for the life already in existence, of the woman who is carrying the child, that we have no business putting this question before the people of North Dakota,” said Triplett.

The measure passed 26 to 21. If the House goes along, this measure would be on the November ballot in 2014.

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