Two outright abortion bans, House Bill 314 and Senate Bill 211, were just introduced in the Alabama House of Representatives. These bills would ban all abortion in the state, even in cases of rape and incest. Alabama is the 33rd state to introduce an abortion ban so far this year.
Time and time again, the courts have confirmed abortion bans are unconstitutional. If passed, these bills will wind up at the center of a lengthy legal battle, costing Alabama taxpayers millions.
“HB 314 and SB 211 would be a death sentence for women across this state," Staci Fox, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Southeast said. "They would also criminalize our doctors, forcing them to make an impossible choice: treat their pregnant patients or protect themselves instead. In a state that already suffers from a physician shortage, high rates of infant and maternal mortality, cervical cancer mortality, unintended pregnancy, teen births, rural health care crisis, and opioid addiction, our lawmakers should be focused on increasing access to care - not restricting it. Beyond that, 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. ”
Just like the Georgia and Mississippi bans before them, HB 314 and SB 211 are blatantly unconstitutional and lawmakers know it - they just don’t care. Alabamians are nothing more than pawns in their political game to challenge access to safe, legal abortion nationally.
Planned Parenthood Southeast Advocates is committed to fighting these bills every step of the way to preserve vital health care rights for Alabama's women.