Alabama Senate passes bill criminalizing abortion, with no exceptions for rape & incest
Reuters
Alabama is poised to pass the strictest abortion law in the US after its Senate voted to criminalize the procedure even in cases of rape or incest and send doctors performing it to prison for up to 99 years.
The bill prohibits abortion in all cases except when necessary to save the mother’s life, declaring the procedure a felony punishable by 10 to 99 years in prison. Even attempting to perform an abortion would carry a one to 10 year sentence. The measure passed the state Senate 25 to 6 on Tuesday after a long, drawn-out debate that included filibusters, shouting matches and protests, and now needs only the signature of the governor – a pro-life Republican – before it becomes law.ALSO ON RT.COM‘Pro-life’ Texas bill allowing death penalty for abortions gets marathon House hearing
The bill is draconian on purpose, State Rep. Terri Collins (R), its sponsor, told the Washington Post after its passage, explaining that exceptions for rape and incest victims were specifically left out because the law’s backers want it to be challenged all the way to the Supreme Court. They hope to force a legal battle with the ultimate goal of overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. Collins, who previously supported so-called “heartbeat bills” that ban abortion at any point after a fetus’ heartbeat can be detected, believes desperate times call for desperate measures: “I believe we can’t get a heartbeat bill until we get Roe v. Wade turned over,” she said.
Democratic presidential candidates took to Twitter to voice their disapproval.
This ban is dangerous and exceptionally cruel—and the bill’s authors want to use it to overturn Roe v. Wade. I’ve lived in that America and let me tell you: We are not going back—not now, not ever. We will fight this. And we will win. https://t.co/WNlr7Ys73q— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 15, 2019
Alabama just passed a near-total ban on abortion.
No exceptions for rape or incest.
Doctors could face 99 years in prison for providing abortions.
This is a war on women, and it is time to fight like hell. https://t.co/lhwlbyeQsl— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) May 15, 2019
HB 314 is not only unconstitutional – it’s a radical attack on women across Alabama and America. We won’t back down when it comes to fully protecting Roe v. Wade, fighting dangerous efforts to roll back reproductive health care and defending a woman’s right to access an abortion.— Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) May 15, 2019
Incredulous women pointed to the bill’s disproportionately male supporters – though its sponsor is female, and Alabama’s governor, a woman, has the final say in whether it becomes law.
Alabama will make abortions a felony, punishable by 99 years in prison, without exceptions for rape or incest.
It will be the most restrictive law in the country, voted into effect by men.https://t.co/6vMBoKM8QW— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) May 15, 2019
Tonight, 25 out of 31 state senators in Alabama, all of them men, voted for an abortion ban that would literally force victims of rape and incest to carry a pregnancy to term.
To every so-called “progressive” who says we should try to reason with these people:
FUCK. YOU.— Charlotte Clymer???? (@cmclymer) May 15, 2019
Abortion ban, Alabama legislature, decreed by 31 men, 3 women, in favor of the “State’s interest in potential life” above all… —•> #prolife#RoeVWadehttps://t.co/2JyVeDdqI0— aviva gabriel (@avivajazz) May 15, 2019
Some noted that abortion would carry a stiffer sentence than rape.
In Alabama, the penalty for getting an abortion after you are raped is more severe than the penalty for raping someone https://t.co/zuKFfczw8g— Geraldine (@everywhereist) May 15, 2019
Alabama’s removal of the rape exemption from its abortion bill means that by the time you’ve given birth, your rapist may have already been released and sued you for custody of the baby. Yeah, Alabama is a state that allows rapists to seek custody of children conceived by rape.— Marie Connor (@thistallawkgirl) May 12, 2019
The maximum sentence for 2nd degree rape in Alabama is 20 years. This effectively means that a doctor who performs an abortion for a rape survivor could serve more prison time than the man who raped her.
This is not an anti abortion bill. It’s a straight-up anti woman bill. https://t.co/ROHH7w7TLA— Ej Dickson (@ejdickson) May 15, 2019
Others pointed out some inconsistencies in the term “pro-life.”
If Alabama is so #ProLife then they should stop the execution they have scheduled for this very Thursday. #HB314#DeathPenalty#ExecutingGrace— Connie Miller (@connieluvsshark) May 15, 2019
Really, Alabama? The moment of conception? Pro-life politics is the most hypocritical thing I’ve seen today. We care about two single cells, but not black lives. We also won’t pay for programs to help you with your children. We also don’t think you deserve health care…etc, etc. https://t.co/ztntDhvUP7— Dr Fro (@wheresthewhit) May 15, 2019
Today, Alabama tried to pass a total abortion ban. Two days ago, a white male anti-abortion protester tried to run over a clinic escort outside of an Alabama abortion clinic. Please, tell me more about how “pro-life” abortion opponents are. https://t.co/LAKRQeLwlW— Lauren Rankin (@laurenarankin) May 9, 2019
And even self-described pro-lifers looked askance at the law.
I am pro-life…
But, I do not support the Alabama anti-abortion bill.#alpoliticshttps://t.co/X2J9YHuzgO— Libertarian-In-Chief (@ToddHagopian) May 15, 2019
I’m pro-life, but I don’t support blatantly unconstitutional laws like the one likely to pass in Alabama. You get nowhere by passing laws like this. Just a waste of time and money and will be overturned in federal court.— Brooks Fitts (@brooks_fitts) May 15, 2019
I live in Alabama & would consider myself pro-life. But I truly believe this law goes too far & I also believe abortions should not be criminalized. To reduce abortions we should take measures to improve access to contraception, increase women’s pay, streamline adoption, etc.— Bob Barnett (@BobBarnett15) May 15, 2019
But a handful of supporters applauded the measure.
Fun fact: 60 percent of the abortions in Alabama are performed on black women.
Remember my words—there is nothing progressive about white-girl feminism.
There is nothing progressive about ensuring that half the black population is murdered in the womb.— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) May 11, 2019
Way to go Alabama….!!! Thank you, Jesus! May all the other states follow in their steps! ——> https://t.co/xZM78C1J7A? #Prolife— Rick Smith (@RickSmith) May 15, 2019
Hoping Alabama does the right thing! #EndAbortionNow People need to remember #RoeVWade was based on a LIE! It NEVER would have become law had the case been argued based on its actual merits. Let’s stop devaluing human life. #ProLife#LoveThemBothpic.twitter.com/ZFEF5PpNMv— ??Cara Jentzen?? (@belle4beau) May 15, 2019
The American Civil Liberties Union has vowed to stop the law, which they have declared unconstitutional, issuing a statement promising that “abortion will remain a safe, legal medical procedure at all clinics in Alabama.” In 2016, they won a $1.7 million judgment after federal courts struck down a 2013 law criminalizing abortion in Alabama as unconstitutional.
The last time Alabama threatened abortion rights, they lost and paid @ACLUAlabama and @PPFA $1.7 million.
We really don’t want Alabama’s money. Just keep abortion legal and we’re good. pic.twitter.com/BtGwDsfAPs— ACLU (@ACLU) May 11, 2019
