ATLANTA — Now that a federal appeals court has overturned a lower court ruling and said Georgia’s restrictive 2019 abortion law could take effect immediately, state leaders and officials are reacting to the news.
The decision was expected after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last month that there is no constitutional right to an abortion.
Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, signed the Living Infants Fairness and Equality Act, or LIFE Act, in 2019. The law, which had been barred from taking effect, bans most abortions once a “detectable human heartbeat” is present. Cardiac activity can be detected by ultrasound in cells within an embryo that will eventually become the heart as early as six weeks into a pregnancy.
While some state leaders support the "heartbeat law," others do not. Here are some of their reactions.
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr
Carr said the latest moves in the battle over Georgia's LIFE Act allow the law to take effect immediately.
“It is the constitutional duty of the Georgia Attorney General to defend the laws of our state. Today, our arguments have prevailed, meaning the Eleventh Circuit has allowed Georgia’s LIFE Act to take effect immediately.”
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp
Kemp tweeted that he was "overjoyed" the court paved the way for the law to go into effect.
Georgia Gubernatorial Candidate Stacey Abrams
Abrams tweeted the law going into effect takes away a woman's right to choose and it will "deny our ability to make medical decisions."