NEWS BRIEFS

CBN News Roundup

June 7, 2005

CBN.com – Florida Voucher Dispute Heading to State High Court

(CBN News) - The battle over school vouchers in Florida heads to that state's Supreme Court.

Opponents say the Florida constitution prohibits the state from spending money to aid religious institutions.

More than half of the students using vouchers are going to religious schools. But the schools that accept those students cannot force them to pray or profess ideological beliefs.

Governor Jeb Bush calls the law as "American as apple pie." He says it gives parents more choices, and creates competition to produce better schools.

England’s Bioethics Experts Advise Letting Preemies Die

(CBN News) - Top medical experts in England are urging doctors there to let most premature babies die.

The London Times reports a bioethics council is consulting with doctors, nurses and parents about setting a 24-week limit.

Babies born around 24 weeks would be offered treatment only in exceptional cases, when doctors decide they have a chance of living to become healthy children.

But pro-life advocates say it is wrong to deny babies a chance to live.

Parental Consent Bill Signed by Texas Governor

(CBN News) - Nearly a thousand people gathered inside an evangelical church's school to watch Texas Governor Rick Perry sign a bill requiring girls under the age of 18 to get their parents' consent before having an abortion.

The bill also tightens the restrictions on late-term abortions -- those done after 26 weeks.

Several hundred demonstrators protested Perry’s appearance. Some of them opposed Perry for signing the bill on church property.

But the governor's spokeswoman dismissed that complaint. She said they would oppose this bill no matter where it was signed, because they oppose pro-life values.

Federal Court Upholds Unconstitutionality of Va. Abortion Ban

(CBN News) - A federal appeals court has upheld a ruling that Virginia's ban on partial birth abortion is unconstitutional.

A district judge ruled against it because he says sometimes a mother needs to have this type of abortion to protect her health, and the law did not have a provision for that.

But in a scathing dissent, one judge wrote, "The majority's opinion is a bold, new law that, in essence, constitutionalizes infanticide of a most gruesome nature."

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