Wednesday, the Alabama House Health Committee approved legislation that would effectively ban abortions in the state of Alabama.
HB314 is sponsored by state Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur.
Collin’s bill is a simple abortion ban.
Rep. Collins admits the bill conflicts with the 1973 5-4 Roe v. Wade decision that declared abortion a discovered constitutional right. Collins knows there will be a court battle but welcomes that fight in an effort to overturn the Supreme Court decision.
“It’s worth it for the children,” Collins said. “I am a believer that our Declaration of Independence says that we have a right to life.”
The Alabama Citizens Action Patrol supports the legislation.
“HB314 just passed out of the Alabama House Health Committee!” ALCAP Executive Director Joe Godfrey said on social media. “It will now go to the full House for a vote. If passed by the House (and we expect it will be), it will then go to the Senate. Pray this bill will make it to the Governor’s desk for her signature before this session ends.”
The only exception is to protect the physical health of the mother.
This is part of a national strategy to overturn Roe v. Wade. Alabama is the 33rd state to introduce an abortion ban so far this year.
Staci Fox is the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Southeast.
“Already this year, lawmakers who claim to want small government have levied a controversial gas tax and are now inserting themselves in the most personal, private decisions of Alabama’s women,” Fox said in a statement. “Time and time again, the courts have confirmed abortion bans are unconstitutional, which means that if passed, this bill will wind up at the center of an expensive legal battle, costing Alabama millions of dollars that it just doesn’t have. Lawmakers should be spending that time and money expanding access to health care for Alabamians — not restricting it.”
House Bill 314 and its Senate companion bill SB211 would ban all abortion in the state, even in cases of rape and incest.
The ACLU of Alabama released a statement in response to the vote to advance HB314:
“We are disappointed that the House Health committee chose to pass HB314, an abortion ban bill that will cost the state and do nothing to help Alabama women or families. There are at least 14 other cases already being litigated around abortion access, with any of them potentially on their way to the Supreme Court and two are already there. Alabama doesn’t need to be another pawn in the fight over abortion.”
The federal court is already considering Alabama’s 2017 ban on abortions. That bill to regulate abortion practices was blocked by U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson. Attorney General Steve Marshall is asking the Supreme Court to hear the case.
The full Alabama House of Representatives can now consider HB314 as soon as Thursday.
Alabama voters passed Amendment Two to outlaw abortions if Roe v. Wade were overturned last November.
