Alabama has proposed a bill that would place a woman in prison anywhere between 10 and 99 years if she had an abortion, even if the pregnancy was a result of rape or incest. The only way an abortion would be considered legal under this bill is if it posed a great health risk to the mother.
Republican Congresswoman Terri Collins said the purpose of the bill is to hopefully get the United States Supreme Court to overturn the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade case, which made abortions legal.
“It simply criminalizes abortion. Hopefully, it takes it all the way to the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v Wade.” Collins said. “I think people are seeing a possibility that the Supreme Court might have a more conservative-leaning balance.”
If doctors in the state carry out an abortion, they too could face jail time and be charged with a Classfelonynyy.
CEO and president of Planned Parenthood Southeast Staci Fox called the proposed bill a “death sentence” and accused the state of playing politics at the expense of the thousands of women who live there.
“These bans are blatantly unconstitutional and lawmakers know it – they just don’t care. Alabamians are just pawns in this political game to challenge access to safe, legal abortion nationally.”