Alabama abortion bill passes in senate

Near-total ban would set stage for court challenge

MONTGOMERY, ALA.— Alabama’s Senate passed a near-total ban on abortion Tuesday, sending what would be the nation’s most stringent abortion law to the state’s Republican governor.

The Republican-dominated Alabama Senate voted 25-6 for the bill that would make performing an abortion at any stage of pregnancy a felony punishable by up to 99 years or life in prison.

The only exception would be when the woman’s health is at serious risk.

The measure now goes to Gov. Kay Ivey, who has not said whether she supports it.

Supporters said the bill is intentionally designed to conflict with the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion nationally, because they hope to spark a court case that might prompt the justices to revisit abortion rights.

“The question for me — for us — is: When is a person a person?” Republican Sen. Clyde Chambliss said as debate began on the proposed ban.

Senators rejected an attempt to add an exception for rape and incest. The amendment was voted down 21-11. The bill’s sponsor and other supporters had argued exemptions would weaken their hope of creating a vehicle to challenge Roe.