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February 11, 2022HB 5 (Grall) was passed by the House Health & Human Services Committee on a 14-7 vote on February 10. Christie Arnold, associate for social concerns and respect life, testified in support of the bill on behalf of the FCCB. The bill has been placed on the House Special Order Calendar for February 15.
The companion bill, SB 146 (Stargel), is in its final committee of reference, Appropriations.
The bills would prohibit abortion after 15 weeks gestation, shrinking the window of time in which an abortion is able to be legally obtained. Current state law bans abortions when a child is viable, or able to survive outside the womb. Prohibiting abortion after 15 weeks would align with research demonstrating that unborn children have the capacity to feel pain at that point of development.
A decision by the U.S. Supreme Court is expected by June 2022 in the Mississippi case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization addressing whether banning abortions after 15 weeks gestation is constitutional. There is the potential that states will no longer be prevented by federal case law from prohibiting pre-viability abortions if Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey is overturned or greatly diminished by the ruling. Exceptions to the 15-week abortion ban align with the Mississippi law and are allowed for saving the life of the mother, avoiding an irreversible and substantial impairment of a major bodily function of the mother, and fatal fetal abnormality.
The bills also include provisions to analyze and reduce fetal and infant mortality, and require monthly mandatory reporting of the number of medication abortions.
