Bill approves bill regarding unborn children

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Members of a state House committee approve legislation that would make the killing of an unborn child carry the same penalties as the murder of a human being.<br/><br/>Tulsa state

Wednesday, February 22nd 2006, 5:53 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Members of a state House committee approve legislation that would make the killing of an unborn child carry the same penalties as the murder of a human being.

Tulsa state Representative Pam Peterson's measure raises the penalty for the willful killing of an unborn child to the penalty for any other willful killing. It was approved Tuesday by the state House Health and Human Services Committee and sent to the full House for a vote.

Peterson said the measure addresses the tragic deaths of Laci and Conner Peterson, a California mother and her unborn child who were both murdered.

The bill would give legal recognition to a second victim, the unborn child, if a pregnant woman is assaulted and her child is killed and provide uniform recognition of the child as a victim of such a crime.

The law wouldn't apply to a legal abortion.