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TODAY IS A HUGE WIN FOR LIFE!

Georgia’s Supreme Court finds that LIFE Act (a.k.a. Heartbeat Bill) was in compliance with U.S. Constitution when enacted.

What Does This Mean?

Abortion remains illegal when the heartbeat is detected.

After Georgia’s Heartbeat Bill was upheld by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, SisterSong, Planned Parenthood and others pro-abortion organizations, brought a state constitutional challenge against H.B. 481, Living Infants Fairness & Equality (LIFE) Act. They claimed that when the bill was signed into law in 2019:

• H.B.481 violated the U.S. Constitutional when it was enacted in 2019; and

• Georgia Constitution’s right to privacy prohibits “political interference.”

Today, the Georgia Supreme Court released its opinion.  It agreed that the U.S. Supreme Court decision on Dobbs controls and therefore the LIFE Act complies with U.S. Constitution.

Georgia Life Alliance applauds Georgia’s Supreme Court for its decision.

The Court did not address the claim that the LIFE Act violates the Georgia Constitution through “political interference,” and sent it back to the lower court for determination.

In an age when states like Maine allow babies to be aborted through all nine months of pregnancy for any reason, and Ohio is fighting against a constitutional measure to enshrine abortion and deny parental rights, we are thankful for the courage and strength of Attorney General Chris Carr and his staff for staunchly defending Georgia’s law and protecting the most vulnerable Georgians.  

We are forever thankful for the political will shown by Georgia’s pro-life elected officials including Governor Brian Kemp, Senator Ed Setzler, Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson, and Senator Renee Unterman (ret.) who all fought for the LIFE Act’s passage in 2019.  

Since June 2022, abortions in Georgia have not declined, but leveled off.  Additionally, as reported in the AJC, the number women have traveled out of state for abortions has jumped over 1500% and the Black community remains a target of the abortion industry. It is unclear how many girls and women have illegally obtained chemical abortion pills in the mail from outside the U.S.  What we do know from the AJC data is that the use of this dangerous medication regimen has increased.  

The fight for life continues.

But today, we take a breath and give thanks and acknowledge generations of Georgians for their conviction to the cause of LIFE.  That is our win today and we’ll take it.  With Conviction and Persistence, Life Wins!

For Life,

Claire Bartlett
Executive Director

Georgia Life Alliance led the fight by drafting the original bill language and creating a statewide coalition of supporters who walked alongside lawmakers to ensure its passage.

As a reminder, here is a high level summary of the Heartbeat Bill and what does and does not do:

• Babies are recognized as people under law

• The population count will now include pre-born babies

• Women can now obtain child support for babies in the womb

• Parents can now receive state tax exemptions for pre-born babies

• Babies with beating hearts are protected from abortion in most circumstances

• Post-abortive women are protected from prosecution under law

• Miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy care are exempted from abortion law

Georgia is the first state in the nation to recognize the personhood of babies in the womb, making our Heartbeat Bill one of the strongest pro-life laws in America.

GLA needs your help to build a solid, unshakable culture of life.

No matter which way the political winds may blow, help us ensure life - at every stage - is valued and revered in Georgia.

1. DONATE to GLA. Contribute to help us make abortion unthinkable in Georgia.  We educate and support candidates and lawmakers who will protect women, children, the elderly, infirmed, and the defenseless. The multi-billion dollar abortion industry is ratcheting up its efforts and expanding its “services” to include “gender affirming” care and end of life “support.”  We need your help to permanently eliminate Planned Parenthood from Georgia!

2. SUPPORT your local pregnancy help center and adoption/foster organizations. They need your generous donations and your prayers to answer the demand for their services as the Heartbeat Bill remains in effect.

3. CALL your priest or pastor and ask them to speak up about the sanctity of life.  Host a prayer rally.  Support pro-life groups like GLA and pregnancy help organizations.

4. ENCOURAGE pro-life lawmakers and candidates are going to be pressured to back down by pro-abortionists and the complicit media. Let them know you have their backs.

5. PRAY for the safety and wisdom of our elected officials and their staff. Pray for the judges. Pray for pregnancy centers who stand in the gap and remain under attack by pro-abortion activists. Pray for GLA as we continue supporting our pro-life lawmakers and break new ground representing the pro-life movement.