Alabama GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Proposes Constitutional Amendment Banning Most Abortions

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 16 Oct 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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Alabama state Rep. Robert Bentley (R), one of at least eight candidates in the state's 2010 gubernatorial race, said Tuesday that he has pre-filed a constitutional amendment in the state Legislature to ban abortion except in cases of rape, incest or threat to the woman's life, the AP/ Thibodaux Daily Comet reports.

Speaking at a campaign news conference, Bentley said he also is introducing a bill that would require physicians to inform women who want to have abortions that the procedure "terminates the life of a separate, living human being," according to the AP/Daily Comet. In addition, he plans to introduce a bill that would increase protections for health care workers who refuse to participate in abortion procedures on moral or religious grounds.

Bentley also said that he would introduce a resolution in the state House to signal the state's opposition to any federal attempt to limit state laws restricting abortion rights. He said most members of the state Legislature oppose abortion rights.

State Rep. Patricia Todd (D) said she would oppose Bentley's proposals. "The Supreme Court has clearly outlined that abortion is legal," Todd said, adding, "I will fight for women to keep that right." Todd said she favors efforts to make birth control more accessible and affordable.

Bentley said he hopes the other gubernatorial candidates would express support for limiting abortion rights in Alabama. Alex Goepfert, a spokesperson for U.S. Rep Artur Davis (D-Ala.) -- one of the two Democratic candidates -- said that he has voted in Congress in support of banning so-called "partial-birth" abortion and federal funding of abortion, as well as expressed support for limiting minor's access to abortion. "However, [Davis] doesn't believe that sending young women or their doctors to prison will make us a stronger society," Goepfert said. The campaign for Ron Sparks, the state agriculture and industries commissioner and the other Democratic candidate, did not comment. According to the AP/Daily Comet, all five Republican candidates have expressed some degree of agreement with Bentley's positions (Johnson, AP/Thibodaux Daily Comet, 10/14).

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