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 The country's strictest abortion bill was previously approved by the
Alabama House of Representatives and will now go to Republican
Governor Kay Ivey, who has withheld comment on whether she would
sign but is generally a strong opponent of abortion.
The law, which passed 25-6, would take effect six months after being
signed by the governor, but is certain to face legal challenge from
the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups which have vowed
to sue.
Legislation to restrict abortion rights has been introduced this
year in 16 states, four of whose governors have signed bills banning
abortion if an embryonic heartbeat can be detected.
The Alabama bill goes further, banning abortions at any time. Those
performing abortions would be committing a felony, punishable by 10
to 99 years in prison, although a woman who receives an abortion
would not be held criminally liable.
The Republican-controlled Alabama Senate also defeated a Democratic
amendment that would have allowed legal abortions for women and
girls impregnated by rape and incest.
Anti-abortion advocates know any laws they pass are certain to be
challenged, and courts this year have blocked a restrictive Kentucky
law and another in Iowa passed last year.
But supporters of the Alabama ban said the right to life of the
unborn child transcends other rights, an idea they would like
tested.
Republican Senator Clyde Chambliss, arguing in favor of the Alabama
bill, said the whole point was "so that we can go directly to the
Supreme Court to challenge Roe versus Wade."
The high court, now with a majority of conservative justices after
Republican President Donald Trump appointed two, could possibly
overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark decision establishing a
woman's right to an abortion.
Just this year, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio have
outlawed abortion after a doctor can detect an embryonic heartbeat.
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Opponents call the "heartbeat" legislation a virtual ban because
embryonic cardiac activity can be detected as early as six weeks,
before a woman may be aware she is pregnant.
Democratic state Senator Linda Coleman-Madison called the
Republicans hypocritical for advocating small government that ought
to stay out of private matters but "now you want in my womb; I want
you out."
All 27 Republican senators are men.
The group Physicians for Reproductive Health said the near total ban
on abortions would have a disastrous effect on healthcare.
"Physicians will be unwilling to help patients in need, even when
continuing pregnancy is detrimental to a patient's health, or
potentially fatal, out of fear of being scrutinized by the criminal
justice system," Dr. Yashica Robinson, a board member and ob/gyn,
said in a statement.
The National Organization for Women (NOW) denounced the ban as
unconstitutional.
"This is a transparent effort to drum up political support for
anti-abortion candidates in upcoming elections and serves as a
direct threat to women's health, autonomy and pursuit of happiness,"
NOW said in a statement.
Actress and activist Alyssa Milano has called for a sex strike under
the social media hashtag #SexStrike in response to the campaigns
against abortion rights, urging women to refuse sex with men "until
we get bodily autonomy back."
(Reporting by Daniel Trotta in New York; Editing by Lisa Shumaker
and Clarence Fernandez
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