ATLANTA — Abortion rights activists chanted "shame" as a Georgia Senate committee approved a measure that would ban most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected.
Republicans in Georgia are joining others in many states moving to enact tough abortion restrictions, even though they're certain to be challenged in court, in hopes that recent appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court will find them constitutional.
Channel 2 Political Reporter Richard Elliot was there as the Senate Science and Technology Committee approved the bill on a party-line vote of 3-2 Monday morning.
#breaking The abortion bill just passed a Senate committee. pic.twitter.com/Pyt3vmSdIS
— Richard Elliot (@RElliotWSB) March 18, 2019
Women in Georgia have the legal right to seek abortions during the first 20 weeks of a pregnancy.
A fetal heartbeat is generally detectable at around six weeks, before many women know they are pregnant.
#Developing Dozens of Pro-Choice protestors demonstrated in the hallway after a committee voted to pass the Abortion Bill to the full Senate. pic.twitter.com/pcoWowWJhr
— Richard Elliot (@RElliotWSB) March 18, 2019
Similar measures are moving through legislatures in Tennessee, Mississippi, Florida and South Carolina.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Cox Media Group
