Federal Judge Rules Georgia’s ‘Heartbeat’ Abortion Bill Unconstitutional

Written by: @kristenshylin_

U.S. District Judge Steve Jones ruled Georgia’s “heartbeat” abortion restriction unconstitutional, permanently voiding the abortion ban, AP News reported.

Georgia petitioned the removal of abortion practices once a “detectable human heartbeat” was identified, with few exceptions. According to a legal counter, a fetal heartbeat can be acquired as early as six weeks into a pregnancy.

Many challenged the abortion law indicating that it violates women’s rights and the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment.

The federal judge temporarily blocked Georgia’s 2019 “heartbeat” abortion law last October, prohibiting it.

According to the news outlet, Jones ruled against the state in a suit filed by abortion clinics and an advocacy group.

The federal official eliminated all components of the abortion law, terminating granted personhood of a fetus. The state’s “heartbeat” abortion bill would have given unborn fetuses the same legal rights that citizens have after birth.

According to the AP News, the House Bill 481, anti-abortion law, would have permitted a mother to claim fetus as a dependent on her taxes.

Now, Jones’ new ruling prevents Georgia from enforcing the anti-abortion act, also known as the Living Infants Fairness Equality Act.

The lead claimant of the Atlanta-based group supporting abortion rights for women of color, SisterSong, referred to Judge Jones’ recent ruling as a “huge win for bodily autonomy.”

Monica Simpson, the executive director of SisterSong, said no one should have to live in a world where the government controls their bodies and reproductive decisions.

Pro-Life advocate and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp immediately filed an appeal against Jones’ ruling.

“We will appeal the court’s decision,” Kemp said in a released statement. “Georgia values life, and we will keep fighting for the rights of the unborn.”