MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Senate on Tuesday will debate HB 314, the bill sponsored by State Rep. Terri Collins (R-Decatur) that is aimed at getting the U.S. Supreme Court to re-examine Roe v. Wade on the basis of personhood.
The bill as passed by the House would have banned all abortion except when the life of the mother is in danger.
However, the Senate Judiciary Committee last Wednesday tacked on an amendment by State Sen. Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) adding exceptions for rape and incest. The full Senate then removed that amendment on the floor on Thursday, yet an attempt to tack the amendment back on is expected sometime Tuesday after 4:00 p.m.
Collins and State Sen. Clyde Chambliss (R-Prattville), who is carrying the bill in the Senate, argued that adding exceptions for rape and incest dilutes the legal challenge the bill is trying to mount, as the question at hand is whether the baby in the womb is a person and should have rights as such, regardless of how that baby was conceived.
Collins has even said, “Well, how do we say, ‘The baby inside is a person unless they’re conceived in rape or incest’? If that amendment was to get on the bill, then I’ll kill the bill because it won’t go to the Supreme Court. It will contradict itself. And so that’s why we’re trying to keep it clean…”
Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth (R-AL) has called on the Senate to pass HB 314 without amendment.
Senate Majority Leader Greg Reed (R-Jasper) has previously emphasized the narrow purpose of the bill in challenging Roe v. Wade.
With national media outlets in town covering the proceedings, Democrats and protesters could be incentivized to really play up the antics for the cameras.
State Sen. Cam Ward (R-Alabaster) told reporters on Tuesday that senators have received death threats over HB 314, which is why some members have been provided personal security details for the day.
Watch the debate live:
Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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