The Alabama Legislature has approved legislation to ban abortions at 20 weeks or longer into a pregnancy.
For background, read 'Late-Term' Abortion Redefined: Fetal Pain
UPDATE 6/15/11: Gov. Bentley signs bill
-- From "Alabama Legislature approves bill to ban abortions at 20 weeks into pregnancy" by The Associated Press 6/10/11
The Alabama House voted 70-20 for the bill by Republican Rep. Kerry Rich of Albertville. Rich said the bill bans abortions at 20-weeks because he said studies have shown that the fetus feels pain at that point in the pregnancy. The bill now goes to Gov. Robert Bentley for his signature.
Another abortion bill that defined life as beginning when an egg is fertilized died without coming up for a vote Thursday.
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From "Alabama lawmakers ban abortion after 20 weeks pregnancy" by Peggy Gargis, Reuters 6/10/11
The measure . . . makes no exceptions for cases of rape or incest.
The 20-week abortion ban would make it a felony to perform an abortion after that time unless the woman's pregnancy puts her at risk of death or substantial physical harm.
It also requires physicians to report each abortion to a state database and compile an annual report of abortions.
The new restrictions are similar to ones enacted in Idaho, Indiana, Kansas and Oklahoma earlier this year and a law passed in Nebraska in 2010, said Elizabeth Nash, public policy associate with the Guttmacher Institute, an organization focusing on sexual and reproductive health.
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