Stacey Abrams blamed voter suppression efforts for giving lawmakers in the state of Georgia the power to disregard opposing voices on proposed abortion law.
The new law, House Bill 481, bans abortions after a heartbeat can be detected by a doctor — a milestone usually achieved six weeks after inception.
In a tweet written shortly after news of the bill being signed by Governor Brian Kemp, Abrams laid out her reasoning but vowed to continue to fight back.
“If leaders can silence [the voices of Georgians] at the ballot box, they can ignore [their voices] when in office,” Abrams said. “We will fight back in court and at the voting booth.”
Bad policies like the forced pregnancy bill are a direct result of voter suppression. If leaders can silence Georgians’ voices at the ballot box, they can ignore Georgians’ voices when in office. We will fight back in court and at the voting booth. #HB481
https://t.co/15iOJWaBUU— Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) May 7, 2019
Abrams, who has been a critic of the legislation from the start, is not alone in her fierce opposition. Dozens of actors and actresses signed a petition, made public by Alyssa Milano, to boycott the state of Georgia if the bill had been signed into law. With Georgia having a large film industry, some thought the boycott and potential repercussions could change the governor's mind.
"I can't govern because I'm worried about what someone in Hollywood thinks about me," Kemp told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Even with his response, Democrats within the state continue a push to take back control.
“In passing the abortion ban, Republicans have shown they can’t be trusted to make decisions on behalf of Georgian women, Georgia’s healthcare system, or Georgia’s economy,” said Nikema Williams, chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia.
With the law set to take effect in January 2020, many groups are expected to file a suit to challenge it and have courts throw it out — akin to the fate of a similar law in the state of Kentucky.
“This bill has big government criminalizing the most intimate decision women and couples make, and flies in the face of 50 years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent,” said ACLU of Georgia Executive Director Andrea Young. “We will see Governor Kemp in court.”
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