‘Fetal pain' abortion bill filed in Georgia House

A bill to limit abortions has been filed in the state House.

House Bill 954, sponsored by Rep. Doug McKillip, R-Athens, is what is commonly referred to as a "fetal pain" bill. It says that a fetus can react to pain at 20 weeks, and it seeks to outlaw abortions at or past 20 weeks of pregnancy. Exceptions could be made in pregnancies that pose a serious risk to the physical health of the woman, but doctors would have to terminate the pregnancy in a way that "provides the best opportunity for the unborn child to survive."

Doctors also would have to submit reports to the state, including information about how they determined the age of the pregnancy.