Alabama abortion bill: House passes ban including incest, rape
A bill making it a crime for a doctor to perform an abortion passed in the Alabama House of Representatives Tuesday 74 to 3.
Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur said the goal of the bill is to bring the legislation to the U.S. Supreme Court in order to overturn Roe V. Wade and change the country’s abortion laws. Sixty-six of 104 House members signed on as co-sponsors for the bill.
The bill would make it a Class A felony for a doctor to perform an abortion and a Class C felony for attempting to perform an abortion unless there is a serious health risk to the mother.
HB314 does not include any exceptions for instances of rape or incest, which has garnered criticism from both pro- and anti-abortion groups.
Rep. Anthony Daniels, D- Huntsville, asked Collins to amend the bill to make exceptions for rape and incest. Collins said she would not take any amendments to the bill because she wants the focus of the bill to be on overturning Roe. The amendment was tabled on a 72-26 vote.
Merika Coleman, the Assistant Minority Leader, suggested an amendment that would make legislators who vote for the bill pay for the the ultimate legal challengers the bill would incur with their own salaries. The amendment was tabled with a vote of 61-27.
“I don’t know why you are standing there with that smirk on your face, [Rep. Teri Collins] when you are destroying so many ladies in this country,” Rep. Mary Moore, D-Birmingham said.
The bill was hotly debated for almost two hours before the final vote. Continua a leggere