Georgia Republican files ‘heartbeat’ bill that would effectively ban abortion

Doctors say a heartbeat is typically detected when a fetus reaches six weeks gestation. Current Georgia law allows abortions up to 20 weeks.

Anti-abortion advocates praised the proposal, saying it “could save thousands of innocent lives.”

Georgia Right to Life President Ricardo Davis said the bill is a “hopeful step toward the ultimate goal of adopting a ‘personhood’ amendment to the state constitution that will protect all innocent human life from fertilization through natural death.”

Staci Fox, president of abortion rights group Planned Parenthood Southeast, said if the Legislature passes Setzler’s proposal, it would not stand up in court.

“These six-week bans simply go too far — restricting abortion before most women even know they are pregnant,” she said. “These bans are blatantly unconstitutional and Georgia lawmakers know it.”

While bills dealing with abortion haven’t advanced in recent years, they may gain traction this legislative session — Gov. Brian Kemp vowed during his campaign to sign the “toughest abortion laws in the country.”