I'm not about to break my 30 year argument embargo with a screed about the dos and don'ts of abortion.  But this dumb assery angers me a bit.

So the issue is abortion...yes/no?

Problem is the judicial branch gets in the way of the legislative branch of government when trying to dictate policy.  So the legislature often spends it's time grasping at straws, hoping to throw something against the wall that will stick.  And, if that something is ridiculous zoning practices, than so be it.

Let's take a peek at what State Senator Heitkamp has just introduced.

Lest we get confused, Republican Senator Jason Heitkamp was recently elected in the Watford City District (totally different Heitkamp!)  So get out your compass and theodolites and let's start figuring out where someone could build a new abortion clinic or for that matter upgrade a current facility.  Well, let's see where Jason's proposed legislation ND SB 2323 has those clinics breaking ground...

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the governing body of a county may not authorize an abortion facility as defined in section 14 - 02.1 - 02 to be located within thirty miles [48.28 kilometers] of a property line of a pre - existing public or private school. If a pre - existing abortion facility attempts to expand or otherwise rebuild, the governing body shall deny the request for a permit as a nonconforming use of the property

So, talk about the middle of nowheres...there's schools 30 miles from everywhere!  Except maybe Oliver County, so building crews may be looking into that.

Let's not forget credit to ND Republican Rep Jeffery Magrum, co-sponsor of the bill.  Jeff's from Emmons County.

So a legislature can regulate the use of the land exempt of the federally protected rights of the individuals?  I'm going to quote this from a press release  from (gulp) PLANNED PARENTHOOD. Yup I said it...

Statement from Katie Christensen, North Dakota State Director of External Affairs, Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund:

Current North Dakota Law requires abortion providers to be within 30 miles of a hospital. The abortion zoning bill would require clinics be more than 30 miles from a school. This zoning bill is arbitrary and impossible to achieve—and it provides no justification for the arbitrary 30-mile barrier it imposes on abortion providers. This distance is not about protecting schools: it’s about creating arbitrary restrictions to make it more difficult to access abortion in our state.  

I know I'm still not up to the addiction of arguing, but it makes me agitated to see lawmakers tilting against windmills. States can control what they can...to go farther seems rather forced.  Maybe y'all can discuss  in a civil discourse below.

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