Republican Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed H.B. 314 into law Wednesday, which is a near-total ban on abortions that makes no exceptions for victims of rape or incest.
The law, which will take effect in six months, will be the most restrictive abortion law in the United States.
“Today, I signed into law the Alabama Human Life Protection Act, a bill that was approved by overwhelming majorities in both chambers of the Legislature. To the bill’s many supporters, this legislation stands as a powerful testament to Alabamians’ deeply held belief that every life is precious and that every life is a sacred gift from God,” Gov. Ivey said in a statement.
Doctors who violate the law will face a Class C felony, which is punishable by a minimum of 10 years in jail and maximum of 99 years.
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A pro-choice activist holds a Planned Parenthood sign while awaiting the Supreme Court’s ruling on abortion access in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, DC on June 27, 2016. Shutterstock/Rena Schild
“The law makes it a felony for a doctor to perform an abortion. The woman would not be criminally liable. The law includes an exception to allow abortions in cases of serious health risks to the woman,” it went on. (RELATED: Alabama Rep Argues For Abortion Access: ‘Kill Them Now Or Kill Them Later’)
The bill is meant to force a Supreme Court challenge to Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that established federal protections for abortion.
“Many Americans, myself included, disagreed when Roe v. Wade was handed down in 1973,” Ivey’s statement added. “The sponsors of this bill believe that it is time, once again, for the U.S. Supreme Court to revisit this important matter, and they believe this act may bring about the best opportunity for this to occur.”
Staci Fox, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Southeast, said, “Today is a dark day for women in Alabama and across the country. Banning abortion is horrible … We will take this to court and ensure abortion remains safe and legal and accessible in the state of Alabama,” according to USA Today.
The Alabama Senate passed the bill on Tuesday with a 25-6 vote.