What's Happening in Alabama?

As of now, women seeking abortion in that state of Alabama must receive counseling 48 hours prior to receiving an abortion. The information provided during these counseling sessions is designed to discourage women from further seeking an abortion. Women must also receive an ultrasound prior to having an abortion and they cannot seek one after 20 weeks of pregnancy unless it is a matter of life endangerment of a threat to the physical health of the mother. Women under the age of 18 must receive parental consent before getting an abortion. Alabama also places unnecessary standards on abortion clinics as it pertains to their location, staff an equipment. Alabama also has a pre-Roe abortion ban on all abortions except those that preserve the life of the mother. If Roe v. Wade is overturned, this trigger law will go into effect immediately.

In the Legislature

House Bill 23: Also known as the Alabama Heartbeat Act, bans abortions after a physician is able to detect a heartbeat, and it requires that all physicians look for a heartbeat before performing an abortion. If the physician performs or aids in performing an abortion after the heartbeat is detected, citizens can bring a civil lawsuit against the physician and sue for damages of at least $10,000. As of January 11, 2022, this bill was sent to the committee on Judiciary.

House Bill 118: This bill, also known as the Abortion Subsidy Prohibition Act, would ban public funds, facilities and equipment from being used to provide abortions in the state. The bill also states that physicians working for the state are not allowed to provide or assist in providing abortions. As of January 13, 2022, this bill was sent to the committee on State Government.

In the Courts

The federal 11th Circuit vacated its previous decision that the law concerning a way for minors to bypass abortion consent was unconstitutional. The law, which required that minors go before an open court to bypass consent from their parents, placed an undue burden on individuals that went against the Supreme Court precedent set by Casey.