Representative adds malpractice amendment to health care bill

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Intro:	One state representative added a controversial abortion malpractice amendment to a healthcare insurance bill.
RunTime:	0:41
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: This bill would conduct studies on the costs of providing insurance coverage for chemotherapy, eating disorders, and infertility treatments.

However, Republican Representative Andrew Koenig added an amendment to up the cost of malpractice insurance for doctors providing abortions.

Democratic Representative Tishaura Jones says this is just to make abortions harder to get.

Actuality:	TJONES5.WAV
Run Time:	00:12
Description: "That's right, and since we can't overturn Roe v. Wade since the Supreme Court won't do it, then of course the state legislatures are going to introduce bills year after year after year to make it more difficult for a woman to make choices related to her body."

The amendment was adopted with a vote of 105 to 40.

The entire bill passed.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Danielle Carter.

Intro:	Representative added controversial abortion malpractice amendment to a medical insurance bill in another attempt to regulate abortions.
RunTime:	0:40
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: Representative Andrew Koenig added an amendment raising costs for malpractice insurance for doctors providing abortions.

Koenig says this amendment was well placed.

Actuality:	KOENIG.WAV
Run Time:	00:14
Description: "When you're in the political process, sometimes you have to look for multiple vehicles in order to get something passed, and since this was underneath the same title, it's dealing with insurance and my amendment deals with insurance, I thought it was a good vehicle to attach that amendment."

However, Democratic Representative Tishaura Jones says the amendment "muddies" an otherwise good piece of legislation.

The amendment would also change the penalty for providing a failed attempt at an abortion to a Class D felony.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Danielle Carter.

Intro:	In an attempt to regulate abortions, one representative adds an amendment to a healthcare insurance bill.
RunTime:	0:39
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: Republican Representative Andrew Koenig added an amendment to an insurance study bill to charge more for malpractice insurance for doctors providing abortions.

The amendment would increase the price for the insurance to one to three million dollars.

Democratic Representative Tishaura Jones says she was not pleased.

Actuality:	TJONES4.WAV
Run Time:	00:13
Description: "Representative Koenig basically muddies the bill by adding his own agenda for abortion language that we just passed in another bill yesterday."

The amendment passed with a vote of 105 to 40.

The House perfected the bill.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Danielle Carter.

Intro:	Representatives debated a controversial abortion amendment to a healthcare bill.
RunTime:	0:40
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap:

Actuality:	COLKOE.WAV
Run Time:	00:17
Description: "So gentleman, let me ask you this. What I'm really trying to figure out...you disagree with a woman's right to choose, correct?" "I mean, this bill...this bill, this amendment has nothing to do with that, but, yes I do."

Democratic Representative Mike Colona asked this question of Republican Representative Andrew Koenig after Koenig added an amendment to a healthcare insurance bill.

Koenig's amendment would raise the cost of malpractice insurance for doctors providing access to abortion-inducing drugs.

The House gave first-round approval to the bill on Wednesday.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Danielle Carter.