California Republican Assemblywoman Shannon Grove has introduced the Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act — AB 2336 — that would prohibit performing an abortion because of the gender of the unborn child. A summary of the bill states:

Existing law generally ensures the right of a woman to choose or obtain an abortion, but provides that the performance of an abortion is unauthorized under certain circumstances, including when the abortion is performed on a viable fetus and continuation of the pregnancy posed no risk to the life or health of the pregnant woman, as specified.

This bill would enact the Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act. The bill would prohibit a person from intentionally performing or attempting to perform an abortion with knowledge that the pregnant woman is seeking the abortion because of the gender of the unborn child. The bill would provide for injunctive relief, civil damages, and civil fines for a violation of this provision. The bill would also prohibit the public disclosure of the woman’s identity, unless she consents to that disclosure.

Asm. Grove explains some of the consequences in countries that prefer male babies over female babies:

It is no secret that for generations, China, India, and other nations have had a strong cultural preference for bearing male offspring. Boys are viewed as a blessing – future working men who can provide for their parents. Girls are often treated as a burden. As a local Telugu saying goes in India, “rearing a daughter is like watering a neighbor’s tree.” In China, a fascist one-child policy has only served to intensify the desire to have a son instead of a daughter.

As a result, the United Nations now estimates that as many as 200 million females worldwide have had their lives ended either through sex-selection abortion or infanticide, simply for being the “wrong” gender.

The sex ratio in India is now 112 males for every 100 females. In China there are now 120 boys for every 100 girls.

Then she details how gender-selection abortions are spilling into the U.S.:

While this practice is rightly shunned from afar in the United States, most elected officials here have turned a blind eye to the fact that “gendercide” is happening right here in California, and it is perfectly legal.

In a 2008 study, Columbia University researchers found that among second children born in America to Chinese, Korean, and Indian parents, there was a male-female ratio of 117:100. For third births by couples that already had two girls, the ratio was an astounding 151 boys to 100 girls.

There is simply no statistical way to explain this imbalance other than by the deliberate aborting of undesired girls.

The bill was introduced in February of this year, has been amended twice, and is currently in committee.

While this bill may fall short of the actions we would like to see to end all abortion, Asm. Grove is to be commended for bringing to light and taking action to prevent one more evil aspect of legalized abortion — gendercide. It will be interesting to see how the Democrat dominated assembly moves on the bill.

The Watercooler is always an open thread.