House votes to declare Alabama ‘right to life’ state

Published 6:45 pm Thursday, March 16, 2017

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — As part of what the Alabama House’s Republican leaders dubbed “pro-life day,” lawmakers passed legislation Thursday that would write anti-abortion language into the state constitution, allow doctors to refuse to perform services and ban assisted suicide.

Representatives in the deeply conservative state also held a moment of silence for the “millions of babies” who are aborted every year.

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Lawmakers first passed a largely symbolic proposal declaring Alabama a “right to life state” in the state constitution. After the 67-14 vote, the House erupted in a round of applause.

Montevallo Republican Rep. Matt Fridy’s amendment would write into the Alabama Constitution that the state policy is “to recognize and support the sanctity of unborn life and the rights of unborn children, most importantly the right to life.”

He said the language makes clear that nothing in the state constitution guarantees the right to an abortion. Critics said the measure runs counter to Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion.

Khiara Bridges, a visiting professor of law at Harvard University, said in a telephone interview that the state is playing “the long game” for the potential repeal of Roe under the administration of President Donald Trump.

“The language is capacious enough to conflict with an abortion right or be consistent with it,” she said. “It’s like they want to have their cake and eat it too.”

Vice President of Public Policy at Planned Parenthood Southeast Nikema Williams traveled to the capital with more than 50 members to oppose the measure.

“People want access to care, not a restriction to heath care they already have,” Williams said.

The proposal now goes to the state Senate. If it passes, Alabama voters will cast ballots on the measure in 2018.

The House then approved a bill allowing health care providers to decline to perform services that “violate their conscience,” including abortion or stem cell procedures. It also gives those doctors immunity from civil, criminal or administrative liability.

The measure passed 63-11. Rep. Arnold Mooney, a Shelby County Republican, sponsored the bill.

The House also passed a bill that bans assisted suicides in Alabama and establishes criminal penalties for violating the measure. It was approved 55-11.

The latter two bills also now move to the Senate.