By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
On Thursday, May 12, Alabama Governor Robert Bentley (R) signed Senate Bill 363 banning dismemberment abortions.
Alabama’s National Right to Life Committee member Cheryl Ciamarra said in a statement to Alabama Citizens For Life members: “THANK Governor Robert Bentley and all you wonderful members for contacting your legislators and leaders. Alabama has become the 5th State in the Nation to pass the Unborn Child Protection from Dismemberment Act = Praise the Lord!”
Ciamarra said, “Special thanks go to Jacquie Stalnaker who worked tirelessly throughout the session and Sen. Phil Williams and Rep. Mack Butler for their sponsorship.”
The regional coordinator at the Pro-Life group: Silent No More Awareness, Jacquie Stalnaker said, “IT’S OFFICIAL!!!! SB 363 signed!!!! AL 5th in the Nation to have Ban Dismemberment as Law!!!! Governor Bentley signed this morning!!!! Thank you, Governor Bentley!!!”
Stalnaker wrote, “Thank you, sooo much Senator Phil Williams, Representative’s Mack Butler, Mac McCutcheon, Ed Henry, Barry Moore, Kerry Rich!!! Really enjoyed working with you!!! Get ready, we are going for another victory next session!!! + More to be thanked here soon!!!”
State Representative Mac McCutcheon (R-Capshaw) replied on Facebook, “Thanks, this is a good law. Had to keep bringing the bill up on special order calendar’s. Finally got it to the floor for a vote. Congrats to House and Senate sponsors!!” McCutcheon is Chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee.
State Representative Mack Butler (R-Rainbow City) carried the bill in the House. He said that this is what you can do with a Republican super-majority. Butler said, “I am so thankful for all the prayers and support of these special ladies who are called to fight for the unborn. Jacquie Stalnaker was there every step of the way fighting the good fight for Life and she definitely Celebrates Life.”
Dismemberment abortions involves dismembering the unborn child piece by piece in the womb. According to the National Abortion Federation Abortion Training Textbook – “D&E remains the most prevalent method of second-trimester pregnancy termination in the USA, accounting for 96% of all second trimester abortions”.
State Senator Phil Williams (R-Rainbow City) sponsored SB363. Sen. Williams said that the legislature passed a number of Pro-Life bills in the 2016 legislative session including: (HB45) – Infants Dignity of Life Act – forbids the sale of unborn infant body parts; (SB363) – Unborn Child Protection from Dismemberment Abortion Act – prohibits dismemberment abortions, in which surgical instruments are used to rip apart a fetus’s body, unless necessary to prevent serious health risk to the mother; (SB205) – forbids Public Health from issuing or renewing licenses to abortion clinics located within 2,000 feet of a K-8 public school. “Similar to laws restricting liquor stores. Protects children from having to walk down sidewalks next to abortion clinics.”
Alabama Reproductive Rights Advocates (ARRA) said in a statement, “To all who called the Alabama governor’s office urging him to veto Alabama Senate Bills 205 and 363, thank you. Gov. Bentley, facing impeachment because he’s embroiled in a sex scandal where he paid his mistress with funds earmarked as public, didn’t listen to us, and signed SB 205 into law today. This is a TRAP law, specifically targeted to put one Huntsville, Alabama clinic out of business. And it may end up putting two of the five in the state under.”
Whether or not the Pro-Life bills are allowed to go into effect likely will be decided in federal court where Pro-Life and Pro-Choice legal teams regularly clash over issues surrounding abortion.
