Abortion access in the U.S.
Alabama anti-abortion House & Senate bills
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Filing of an anti-abortion bill in Alabama:
On 2006-MAR-09, Senator Hank Erwin (R-Montevallo) introduced bill SB503 in
the Alabama Senate. It replicates the provision of the comprehensive abortion
ban signed into law in South Dakota three days earlier.
It would make every abortion in the state a Class B felony, including those
triggered by rape or incest, except those needed to save the life of the woman.
Erwin said: "I thought if South Dakota can do it, Alabama ought to do it
because we are a family friendly state." Referring to the bill's ban on
abortions where the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest, he said: "I don't
think you need to penalize the unborn child when something like that happens."
1 He continued:
"We are making a statement with the bill this year and next year we are
going to take action. I don't think there is any doubt that the Alabama
Senate is going to change next year. We are going to become a family
friendly body to the unborn children of Alabama....In all statistical data,
Alabama is the most conservative state in the Southeast. If abortion can be
stopped, it can be stopped in Alabama." 2
The bill states:
"Section 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of Chapter 22 of Title 26,
except in an extreme case of medical emergency where the life of the mother
is threatened by the pregnancy, any person who causes or participates in the
abortion of an unborn child shall be guilty of a Class B felony." 3,4
It is unclear from the bill's present wording
whether an abortion performed when the fetus has died would subject the
physician to prosecution. It is also unclear whether the woman receiving the
procedure "participates in the abortion" to the extent that she might
also be prosecuted.
The bill has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senator Erwin received widespread press coverage in 2006-SEP when he stated
that Hurricane Katrina was God's judgment of sin. At the time, he wrote in a
column that he distributes to news outlets:
"Warnings year after year by godly evangelists and preachers went
unheeded. So why were we surprised when finally the hand of judgment fell?
Sadly, innocents suffered along with the guilty. Sin always brings suffering
to good people as well as the bad." 5
Representative Nick Williams, (R-McIntosh) introduced a similar anti-abortion
bill in the House. He said: "it's the right thing to do. It's something we
need to address. I believe the majority of people in this state are pro-life and
would support this legislation."
Both bills have been assigned to committees. However, there is little time
left to deal with the bills, so they are not expected to be voted upon in the
2006 regular session. 1,2
Reactions:
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John Giles, president of the Christian Coalition of Alabama, said: "I
think you will see in every session from this day forward a South
Dakota-type abortion ban bill." |
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Cheryl Sabel, acting president of the Montgomery chapter of the National
Organization for Women, said: "The thing that's distressing is the fact
that you have these male politicians leading the charge to take away women's
rights....The anti-choice forces are political extremists and religious
fundamentalists, who are looking to make women subservient, powerless and
unequal." |
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Larry Rodick, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Alabama, said:
"We're opposed to all these efforts to restrict access to abortion. It's
a personal health care service that's available to women." She
speculates that if the bill becomes law, women "will be forced to go back
to back alley abortions or self-induced [abortions] with coat hangers."
1 On another occasion, he
said: |
"Alabama’s proposed abortion ban is the height of hypocrisy. On the
one hand, politicians want to ban abortion. On the other hand, they cut
off women from services that would prevent unwanted pregnancies." 2
Related essays:
References: The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above
essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.
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Bob Johnson, "Alabama legislators consider bills to ban abortions," Associated Press, 2006-MAR-25, at:
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/
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Brian Lyman, "Alabama may be too late to join other states testing Roe v.
Wade," Anniston Star, 2006-MAR-08, at:
http://www.dailyhome.com/
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" 'Bama's hopping on the abortion ban train," Pam's Hose Blend,
2006-MAR-07, at:
http://www.pamspaulding.com/
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"SB503," Stand Firm in Faith, at:
http://www.standfirminfaith.com/ This is a PDF file. You may require software to read it. Software can be obtained free from:
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Thomas Spencer, "Senator says storms are punishment from God," The
Birmingham News, 2005-SEP-28, at:
http://www.al.com/
Copyright © 2006 by Ontario Consultants on
Religious Tolerance
Original posting: 2006-MAR-26
Latest update: 2006-MAR-26
Author: B.A. Robinson
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