Arkansas Passes Most Extreme Abortion Ban in the Nation

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Today the most severe abortion ban in the country passed in Arkansas. This is a sad day, not only for the women and families of Arkansas, but for women across the country.

This afternoon, the Arkansas House voted to override Gov. Mike Beebe’s veto of a bill that would ban most abortions after 12 weeks, just days after the state Senate also voted to do so, making the bill law.

Let’s be clear: this is the strictest limit on abortion passed by a state or territorial legislature since Guam attempted to ban all abortions in 1990.

Let’s be clear about one more thing. We are going to fight back. The ACLU will challenge this dangerous and unconstitutional law in court to put this private decision back in the hands of a woman and her family.

Some politicians just don’t get it, and a majority of Arkansas lawmakers really don’t get it. The decision to have an abortion is a complex and deeply personal one that must be made by a woman, her family, and her doctor — not politicians. A politician’s job is not to intrude, but to respect the decision she makes. It has been many decades since politicians intruded quite this brazenly, seeking an outright ban so early in pregnancy. Today’s vote is yet another sign that politicians are laser-focused on taking away women’s access to critical health care.

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