FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 4, 2014

CONTACT: Brooke Anderson, (Direct) 334-265-2754 ext. 205, [email protected]

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The following can be attributed to Susan Watson, executive director of the ACLU of Alabama, regarding the Alabama State House of Representatives’ passage of four abortion bills (HB 489, HB 490, HB 493, HB 494):

"Although the fetal heartbeat bill is the most controversial, it should be noted that all of the bills present grave consequences to women.

All of these bills are another attempt by politicians to control a woman’s body. Reproductive health choices should only be made by the woman, her doctor, her family and her faith—not by the opinions and faiths of elected officials. They’re not in the exam room and each woman’s life is different.

We may not all feel the same about abortion, but it is important that we support a woman’s health and well-being.

On another note, these bills invite litigation and it will cost the state dearly. The legislature is not even trying to fix the conditions and over-crowding in our prisons; improve our schools; or even give teachers the raises that the governor is seeking. If Alabama can’t afford things that affect hundreds of thousands of Alabamians, how can the state afford lawsuits of this magnitude? Economically, it would be disastrous.

This callous and reckless behavior proves that politicians aren’t conscious of Alabama citizens or the financial catastrophe that this state is in and are more interested in pandering than they are in solving the problems facing Alabama."

 

For media inquiries and additional information, please contact:
Brooke Anderson, Communications Manager, 334-265-2754 ext. 205

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