Abortion

Georgia Follows Virginia’s Lead, Plans to Try to Repeal 22-Week Gestation Ban

The much maligned and now court embroiled so-called "fetal pain" ban in Georgia probably won't be overturned, but Democrats will give it a try.

Georgia Senator Nan Orrock, left (with Rep.Virgil Fludd). (World News, Inc.)

The battle over the so-called “fetal pain” ban in George during the 2012 legislature was one of the ugliest state fights of the year. It was so heated that votes turned into fistfights, one legislator threatened to kill it off rather than allow an exception for doomed pregnancies, and some speculate the debate could have been responsible for the rash of provider firebombings that occurred over the summer.

Now, that passionate debate could be coming back for a second round. Although the bill is currently being challenged by the Georgia ACLU and has been blocked into going into effect, some state lawmakers are eager to propose a bill to repeal the law all together.

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Senator Nan Orrock will introduce a bill to repealing the ‘fetal pain’ bill that the Legislature passed last year, reducing the period during which a woman can seek an abortion to 22 weeks.” Orrock was responsible for the protests of the bill on the legislative floor when they passed, calling abortion restrictions part of “an ideological battle that’s being waged to make women a target, to take our access to our Constitutional right of privacy and also our ability to make our health decisions with our doctor and our own best judgment.”

First Virginia, now Georgia. Come on, states, who is next?