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Protestors At Anti-Abortion Rally

Alabama Senators voted today 25-6 to approve a bill that would be America’s toughest on abortion. The bill now heads to the Governor’s desk.

The bill, HB 314 sponsored by Terri Collins (R-Decatur), would allow abortions only in circumstances where the mother’s life is at risk and make abortion punishable by up to 99 years in prison for the person who performs the abortion.

Attempts by Democrats to add an exception for rape and incest was rejected on a 21-11 vote. All 21 votes were Republican. 7 Democrats and 4 Republicans voted for the amendment. The four Republicans that voted for the amendment were Del Marsh, Cam Ward, Andrew Jones, and Jim McClendon.

Alabama Senate rejects exceptions for rape and incest in near-total abortion ban 21 to 11. Singleton is now filibustering the bill. #alpolitics — Brian Lyman (@lyman_brian) May 15, 2019

Tensions were high at points during the debate with Sen. Bobby Singleton (D- Greensboro) speaking to Alabama Republicans and Governor Kay Ivey, saying that “You just raped the state of Alabama. You just took every baby and every woman who has been raped and you raped them all over again.”

Singleton is rolling now. "You just raped the state of Alabama. You just aborted the entire state. You just took every baby and every woman who has been raped and you raped them all over again. That's right. I said it." #alpolitics — Josh Moon (@Josh_Moon) May 15, 2019

Singleton getting emotional: "You just said to my daughter, 'You don't matter. You don't matter in the state of Alabama' … I got to go home and tell her, 'the state of Alabama doesn't care about you, baby.'" #alpolitics — Brian Lyman (@lyman_brian) May 15, 2019

Senator Vivian Figures (D-Mobile) took to the stand to remind everyone that this will likely end with Alabama taxpayers paying the ACLU as they did in 2013.

Sen. Figures is mentioning the ACLU's 2013 lawsuit that found a restriction requiring abortion providers to have hospital admitting privileges.



Reminder: it was unconstitutional, we warned them, the state lost anyways, and paid $1.7 million taxpayer dollars. #alpolitics #HB314 pic.twitter.com/1xjZtjROdS — ACLU of Alabama (@ACLUAlabama) May 14, 2019

A signature by Governor Ivey will likely begin a lengthy lawsuit that the ACLU has promised to bring.

The ACLU of Alabama, along with the National @ACLU and @PPFA, will file a lawsuit to stop this unconstitutional ban and protect every woman’s right to make her own choice about her healthcare, her body, and her future. #alpolitics — ACLU of Alabama (@ACLUAlabama) May 15, 2019