Georgia House Passes “Heartbeat Bill,” Virtually Outlawing Abortion

On Friday, Georgia’s House of Representatives passed HB 481, aka the “Heartbeat Bill,” virtually outlawing abortion in the state. The current laws in the state allow abortion up to 20 weeks.

The new legislation, which has sparked heated criticism from the state’s film industry and anyone who cares about the right to choose, would keep women from having abortions once the fetus’ heartbeat can be detected by a doctor. This usually occurs around six weeks, meaning it’s the equivalent of having your period be about two weeks late—and that’s if you have a regular menstrual cycle. At least 30 percent of women have irregular menstrual cycles, and thus they may not discover they are pregnant until it is too late.

While the state Senate made some changes, the House approved the final copy of the legislation, which now ends up on Governor Brian Kemp’s desk. Kemp previously vowed to sign the “toughest abortion laws in the country.” Clearly, this is not a man who cares about women having autonomy over their own bodies. The American Civil Liberties Union has said they will file a lawsuit if Kemp signs the bill into law.

If you want to delve more into the world of anti-choicers and their tactics, take a look at this Paste Politics feature.