State Representative Terri Collins (R-Decatur) has proposed a very strict abortion bill in the Alabama legislature. Her bill is designed to create a showdown at the U.S. Supreme Court that could end with Roe. v. Wade being overturned.
This is not an attempt to get around Roe v. Wade. For Collins, in her own words, this is a direct challenge. Collins is itching for this fight, saying, “It is meant to actually use some of the same language addressed in Roe v. Wade. So hopefully it completely takes it all the way to the Supreme Court, eventually to overturn it.”
The Alabama ACLU is also ready for this fight, but they may have to wait their turn because the way the current bill is written, it may lead to battles on Goat Hill.
State Senator Del Marsh (R-Anniston) appeared on WVNN’s “The Dale Jackson Show” Wednesday and raised concerns about the lack of exceptions in the bill.
Marsh believes that folks will want some carve-outs.
“Most people I talked to, they believe there should always be some exceptions, you know rape, incest, health of the mother,” he stated.
He added that even in Alabama this will be a hard bill to get passed if carve-outs don’t get added.
“I think there’d be real hesitation with any piece of legislation dealing with this issue if there’s not some kind of exceptions for the woman,” Marsh explained.
Even though abortion is one of those issues where people seem pretty cut and dry, pro-choice or pro-life, recent polling indicates exceptions for rape and incest are very popular. This has been true for decades, according to Gallup.
| When the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest | Legal Illegal No opinion | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 May 1-10 | 77% | 21% | 2% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 May 19-21 | 72% | 24% | 4% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
My takeaway:
Collins may have to tweak her bill to get it out of the legislature to set up her final battle at the Supreme Court.
Listen, starting around the 15:00 mark:
Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN
