Georgia's 'Heartbeat' Abortion Ban Blocked

A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked Georgia's restrictive new abortion law from taking effect, following the lead of other judges who have blocked similar measures in other states. The law signed in May by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp bans abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can happen as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, before many women realize they're expecting. It allows for limited exceptions, including in the case of rape and incest, as long as the woman files a police report first. It had been scheduled to become enforceable on Jan. 1, the AP reports. Lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood and the Center for Reproductive Rights in June filed a constitutional challenge to the law on behalf of Georgia abortion providers and an advocacy group.

US District Judge Steve Jones wrote in an order Tuesday that the current laws governing abortion in the state shall remain in effect for the time being. Kemp's office had no immediate comment on the ruling, spokesman Cody Hall said. "Today is a tremendous victory for the women of Georgia and for the Constitution," ACLU of Georgia legal director Sean Young said. "Politicians have no business telling women or couples when to start or expand a family. This case has always been about one thing: Letting her decide." The so-called heartbeat law is one of a wave of laws passed recently by Republican-controlled legislatures in an attack on the US Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. None of the bans has taken effect. Some have already been blocked, and elsewhere courts are considering requests to put them on hold while legal challenges play out.

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