Georgia’s controversial “heartbeat bill” outlawing abortion after a heartbeat has been detected is on its way to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk.
The bill finished its track through the legislature Friday after being passed by the House after the Senate passed it with revisions.
What’s in the Bill?: The “heartbeat bill,” which is numbered House Bill 481, would make abortion illegal once a doctor is able to detect a heartbeat in the womb. The bill considers the moment of fetal heartbeat detection to be the indicator of viable life and sets out that the unborn would be counted as a Georgia citizen and would be eligible for a state income tax deduction.
What is the existing law?: Currently in Georgia, abortion is illegal after 20 weeks. Fetal heartbeats are usually detected around six weeks.
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What was the vote?: The measure passed the House with a 92-78 vote, which is actually closer than it seems. Several republicans abstained from the vote, which needed 91 votes in order to pass.
What do people who support the bill say?: One of the bill’s biggest supporters is Kemp, which almost guarantees the bill will be signed into law. Immediately after the bill passed, Kemp praised its passage.
“Georgia values life. We stand up for the innocent and speak for those who cannot speak for themselves,” Kemp said. “The legislature’s bold action reaffirms our priorities and who we are as a state. I thank these lawmakers for their leadership and applaud their undeniable courage.”
What do people who oppose the bill say?: Pro-abortion group NARAL Pro Choice Georgia also released a statement immediately after the bill passed calling Kemp an “anti-choice extremist” and decrying the bill.
This is an all-out assault on the reproductive health and safety of Georgia women,” NARAL Pro-Choice Georgia State Director Laura Simmons said. “This cruel, unconstitutional bill is part of an extreme GOP agenda to strip freedoms from women and could not be further from the values that most Georgians hold. Nearly seven in 10 Georgians support safe, legal access to abortion and reject government intrusion into private medical decisions.
What happens next?: Kemp has shown his support for the bill, so it is likely he will sign it. Once it is signed, the new law would go into effect Jan. 1, 2020.
