State Rep. Pamela Hornberger testifies before the House Families, Children, and Seniors Committee on April 24.

The House Families, Children, and Seniors Committee approved a plan introduced by state Rep. Pamela Hornberger to protect a mother and child from a dismemberment abortion.

A dismemberment abortion is an abortion in which a health care worker intentionally uses any instrument, device, or object to dismember a living fetus out of a uterus.

The legislation from Hornberger is part of a package to ban the procedure and create penalties for violators.

“This inhumane way to kill and dismember a living fetus is reprehensible,” said Hornberger, of Chesterfield Township. “Everyone should have the right to life and to destroy an innocent child in such a grotesque manner is something that simply should not happen.”

Eleven states already have had legislation signed into law that bans dismemberment abortions.

House Bill 4320 now moves to the House Judiciary Committee for further consideration.

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