Following the footsteps of its neighboring state of Georgia, Alabama’s Senate has passed a bill that would make performing an abortion a felony in most cases.
According to LifeNews.com, the bill passed the Senate on Tuesday with an overwhelming majority, and will now head to pro-life Governor Kay Ivey’s desk for signing:
State House Bill 314, sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, would make an abortion and attempted abortion a felony. Exceptions would be allowed if the mother’s life is at risk. Mothers would not be punished for having an abortion under the legislation, which would make killing a baby in an abortion a Class A felony — punishable by life or 10 to 99 years in prison for abortionists who kill them.
Lawmakers approved the ban on a 25-6 vote and it now heads to pro-life Governor Kay Ivey, a Republican. The legislation will take effect six months Governor Ivey gives the bill her signature unless court stops it. The Republican-dominated House of Representatives voted 74-3 in favor of the proposal.
Just like Georgia’s “Heartbeat” bill, only abortionists would be punished under this bill, not mothers who have abortions done. The Senate also rejected an amendment that would have added exceptions for rape and incest by a majority vote.
LifeNews.com reported that activists previously threatened to take the bill to court, which may delay the bill becoming a law:
“We will not stand by while politicians endanger the lives of women and doctors for political gain,” wrote Alexa Kolbi-Molinas, a senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union’s Reproductive Freedom Project, in an email to CBS News following the vote. “Know this, Governor Ivey: If you sign this dangerous bill into law, we will see you in Court.”
Reports of death threats have been coming in directed at Republicans who voted for the bill. State Sen. Cam Ward (R-Alabaster) said that some members have already been assigned additional security detail.
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