Laura Simmons, Georgia state director with NARAL Pro-Choice, called the Republican legislation "an all-out assault on the reproductive health and safety of Georgia women." (Photo: Alyssa Pointer/AP)
Mar 30, 2019
After Georgia's GOP-controlled legislature on Friday passed a six-week abortion ban, the ACLU had a simple message for Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who is expected to sign the bill into law: "we will see you in court."
"Georgia has one of the worst maternal death rates in the nation," Andrea Young, executive director of the ACLU of Georgia, said in statement. "Black women in Georgia have a maternal death rate of more than three times the unacceptably high rate for white women."
"This bill further erodes the health and well-being of Georgia's women," Young continued, "and reveals a callous disregard for their well-established constitutional rights."
Laura Simmons, Georgia state director of NARAL Pro-Choice, called the Republican legislation "an all-out assault on the reproductive health and safety of Georgia women."
"This cruel, unconstitutional bill is part of an extreme GOP agenda to strip freedoms from women and could not be further from the values that most Georgians hold," Simmons said in a statement.
\u201cBREAKING: Georgia just passed an extremist abortion ban, and @GovKemp has promised to sign it. If not blocked in the courts, this law will criminalize abortion before most women know they\u2019re pregnant\u2014and grant \u201cpersonhood\u201d that places fetal rights ABOVE those of the woman. #HB481\u201d— NARAL (@NARAL) 1553886657
If the GOP bill is signed into law, Georgia would become the third state this year to pass a six-week abortion ban, joining Kentucky and Mississippi.
Under current state law, Georgia women can seek an abortion during the first 20 weeks of a pregnancy.
"Georgia joins a string of GOP-controlled states moving to enact strict abortion bans, with the ultimate goal of getting a case in front of the U.S. Supreme Court to challenge its 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide," the Associated Pressreported. "The push comes amid rising optimism among conservatives that the restrictions might prevail in the reconfigured high court that includes President Donald Trump appointees Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh."
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
After Georgia's GOP-controlled legislature on Friday passed a six-week abortion ban, the ACLU had a simple message for Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who is expected to sign the bill into law: "we will see you in court."
"Georgia has one of the worst maternal death rates in the nation," Andrea Young, executive director of the ACLU of Georgia, said in statement. "Black women in Georgia have a maternal death rate of more than three times the unacceptably high rate for white women."
"This bill further erodes the health and well-being of Georgia's women," Young continued, "and reveals a callous disregard for their well-established constitutional rights."
Laura Simmons, Georgia state director of NARAL Pro-Choice, called the Republican legislation "an all-out assault on the reproductive health and safety of Georgia women."
"This cruel, unconstitutional bill is part of an extreme GOP agenda to strip freedoms from women and could not be further from the values that most Georgians hold," Simmons said in a statement.
\u201cBREAKING: Georgia just passed an extremist abortion ban, and @GovKemp has promised to sign it. If not blocked in the courts, this law will criminalize abortion before most women know they\u2019re pregnant\u2014and grant \u201cpersonhood\u201d that places fetal rights ABOVE those of the woman. #HB481\u201d— NARAL (@NARAL) 1553886657
If the GOP bill is signed into law, Georgia would become the third state this year to pass a six-week abortion ban, joining Kentucky and Mississippi.
Under current state law, Georgia women can seek an abortion during the first 20 weeks of a pregnancy.
"Georgia joins a string of GOP-controlled states moving to enact strict abortion bans, with the ultimate goal of getting a case in front of the U.S. Supreme Court to challenge its 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide," the Associated Pressreported. "The push comes amid rising optimism among conservatives that the restrictions might prevail in the reconfigured high court that includes President Donald Trump appointees Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh."
After Georgia's GOP-controlled legislature on Friday passed a six-week abortion ban, the ACLU had a simple message for Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who is expected to sign the bill into law: "we will see you in court."
"Georgia has one of the worst maternal death rates in the nation," Andrea Young, executive director of the ACLU of Georgia, said in statement. "Black women in Georgia have a maternal death rate of more than three times the unacceptably high rate for white women."
"This bill further erodes the health and well-being of Georgia's women," Young continued, "and reveals a callous disregard for their well-established constitutional rights."
Laura Simmons, Georgia state director of NARAL Pro-Choice, called the Republican legislation "an all-out assault on the reproductive health and safety of Georgia women."
"This cruel, unconstitutional bill is part of an extreme GOP agenda to strip freedoms from women and could not be further from the values that most Georgians hold," Simmons said in a statement.
\u201cBREAKING: Georgia just passed an extremist abortion ban, and @GovKemp has promised to sign it. If not blocked in the courts, this law will criminalize abortion before most women know they\u2019re pregnant\u2014and grant \u201cpersonhood\u201d that places fetal rights ABOVE those of the woman. #HB481\u201d— NARAL (@NARAL) 1553886657
If the GOP bill is signed into law, Georgia would become the third state this year to pass a six-week abortion ban, joining Kentucky and Mississippi.
Under current state law, Georgia women can seek an abortion during the first 20 weeks of a pregnancy.
"Georgia joins a string of GOP-controlled states moving to enact strict abortion bans, with the ultimate goal of getting a case in front of the U.S. Supreme Court to challenge its 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide," the Associated Pressreported. "The push comes amid rising optimism among conservatives that the restrictions might prevail in the reconfigured high court that includes President Donald Trump appointees Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.