Abortion bill delayed as Alabama Senate falls into chaos
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama Senate fell into chaos Thursday after the lieutenant governor removed from consideration two amendments that created rape and incest exceptions in a bill that would create a near-total ban on abortion.
The move by Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth led to anger from Senate Democrats, who demanded a vote on whether to keep the amendments in, and ultimately led to a delay in the bill itself.
The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins, a Republican from Decatur, would ban abortion in nearly all cases except when a woman's life is in danger. The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday approved amendments that would include exceptions for rape and incest – exceptions that Collins rejected during the House debate. The full Senate must approve amendments to include them in a bill.
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Sen. Clyde Chambliss, a Republican from Prattville, who was handling the bill in the Senate, quickly moved to table the amendment, and Ainsworth sustained the motion quickly, as Democrats tried move for a roll call vote. Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, a Democrat from Greensboro, challenged the ruling that there was a motion, leading to an angry exchange between Singleton and Ainsworth.
"At least treat us fairly and do it the right way," said Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, a Democrat from Mobile. "That's all I ask ... that's all women in this state ask, both Democratic and Republican."
The move also brought criticism from Republicans, including Senate Judiciary Committee chair Cam Ward, from Alabaster, who threatened to filibuster, saying he supported the bill but added "I am not going to move (from) here until we get a fair process."
Other Republicans, including Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, from Anniston, said they supported the exceptions for rape and incest. Marsh moved to adjourn shortly after the motion.
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The bill would make it a Class A felony, punishable by life in prison or 10 to 99 years, to perform an abortion in the state. Attempting to perform an abortion would be a Class C felony, punishable by 1 to 10 years in prison. The woman having the abortion would not face criminal charges.
As passed by the House, Collins’ bill only provided exceptions if the pregnancy threatens the woman’s life; if the woman has a mental illness where birth could result in her death or the death of the child, or if the fetus has a fatal anomaly that would lead to its death after birth.
The sponsor says the measure is intended to create a legal challenge to Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down state bans on abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy. Collins argued adding rape and incest exceptions would "dilute" the challenge.
Follow Brian Lyman on Twitter: @lyman_brian
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This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Abortion bill delayed as Alabama Senate falls into chaos
