Governor Kay Ivey and AG Steve Marshall Respond to Supreme Court Decision
On Friday, the United States Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision stating "we therefore hold that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion. Roe and Casey must be overruled, and the authority to regulate abortion must be returned to the people and their elected representatives." The decision added "the States may regulate abortion."
Alabama Governor Key Ivey responded on Friday with a series of Tweets. Her first Tweet read "today is a giant step forward for our country as, after decades, Roe is finally overturned. Folks, after almost 50 years of standing up for unborn babies, our prayers have been answered." Her Tweets added "in 2019, I was proud to sign into law the Alabama Human Life Protection Act, which is one of the strongest bans on abortion in the country. As I noted when I signed the Alabama Human Life Protection Act, every life is precious and a sacred gift from God. This is a historic day, and I could not be more proud as a governor, a Christian and a woman to see this misguided and detrimental decision overturned."
As of end of day Friday, the Governor's office had not issued a press release on the Governor's official website.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall issued two news releases on Friday.
“Today is a truly historic day. The United States Supreme Court has, at long last, finally overturned its fatally flawed decision in Roe v. Wade. The issue of abortion now returns to the States—and the State of Alabama has unequivocally elected to be a protector of unborn life."
The Attorney General's first news release added:
“Accordingly, I wish to immediately issue the following notices:
“Because neither the United States Constitution nor the Alabama Constitution provides a right to abortion, Alabama laws that prohibit abortion and that have not been enjoined by a court are in full effect. For those laws that have been halted by courts, the State will immediately file motions to dissolve those injunctions. Any abortionist or abortion clinic operating in the State of Alabama in violation of Alabama law should immediately cease and desist operations.
Furthermore, any act of vandalism or violence against any crisis pregnancy center, church, or other pro-life entity in retaliation for today’s decision will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office to the fullest extent of the law."
Elective Abortions Are Illegal in Alabama
The AG office issued the second news release on Friday afternoon. It stated that "the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama has lifted the injunction against Alabama’s Human Life Protection Act". That law passed the state legislature and was signed by the Governor in May, 2019. In October of that year, the U.S. District Court issued an injunction preventing the law from being implemented.
The second news release further states: “The State of Alabama’s emergency motion to lift the injunction and reinstate Alabama’s 2019 law, which prohibits abortions in most instances, has been granted,” said Attorney General Marshall. “Both the federal district court and the plaintiffs recognized that there is no basis for a continued stay of the duly-enacted law in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Thus, Alabama’s law making elective abortions a felony is now enforceable. Anyone who takes an unborn life in violation of the law will be prosecuted, with penalties ranging from 10 to 99 years for abortion providers.”