Alabama Bills Could Outlaw All Abortions

Alabama legislators have introduced bills that would grant personhood to fetuses from the moment of conception—and they appear to have a lot of support. One bill, introduced in both the House and Senate, would amend the Alabama Code of 1975 to alter the definition, while another House bill would amend Alabama’s constitution to the same effect, the American Independent reports. The Senate bill has 18 co-sponsors and both House bills have 31.

The bill was drafted by Personhood USA, a national group pushing similar legislation elsewhere. “America used to define the meaning of ‘person’ along racial lines; now we draw the line at the womb,” says one lawyer working with the group, who believes the law will exploit a loophole in Roe v. Wade. But a Center for Reproductive Rights representative tells Jezebel that won’t fly, because “the court has said … that you cannot make the decision on when life begins for other people.” (More abortion stories.)