The Arkansas House of Representatives is forcing Gov. Mike Beebe to put his money where his mouth is when it comes to constitutional worries over a pair of bills that would ban abortions at 20 and 12 weeks, according to Arkansas News.
With the inclusion of exceptions in the cases of rape or incest — in addition to the original exception for danger to the mother’s life or irreversible impairment to the mother — the House passed 80-10 on the “fetal pain” bill.
According to the bill’s language, abortions at the point a fetus can feel pain, which the author contests is at 20 weeks, would become prohibited.
No word yet on whether Beebe expects to sign the bill into law.
Also in contention currently is the 12-week ban which would criminalize abortions at the point a fetal heartbeat can be detected.
Originally a Senate bill, the House passed the measure with exclusions for endangerment and early detection of fatal fetal disabilities. It will now go back to the Senate for approval before it can pass the governor’s desk.
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