by John A. Tures, Professor of Political Science, LaGrange College
Alabama’s Supreme Court ruling stunned the nation, not just their own state, when they ruled that embryos were human beings. Would the next domino to fall could be those Georgia clinics that perform in vitro fertilization (IVF)? If so, would any sort of legislative reform protect them, because Georgia also has a “personhood” law on the books? Could anything stop the state’s highest court from emulating what Alabama does?
“The decision was issued in a pair of wrongful death cases brought by three couples who had frozen embryos destroyed in an accident at a fertility clinic. Justices, citing anti-abortion language in the Alabama Constitution, ruled that an 1872 state law allowing parents to sue over the death of a minor child “applies to all unborn children, regardless of their location,” according to VOA. In fact, Justice Jay Mitchell wrote “Unborn children are ‘children’ … without exception based on developmental stage, physical location, or any other ancillary characteristics,” according to the Associated Press, posted by the Voice of America (VOA).
That Alabama Amendment 2 that the justices based their ruling on passed 59.1% to 40.99% in 2018. Ballotpedia wrote “A “yes” vote supported this amendment to make it state policy to “recognize and support the sanctity of unborn life and the rights of unborn children, including the right to life” and to state that no provisions of the constitution provide a right to an abortion or require funding of abortions.”
Stunned by the unprecedented decision by the state’s highest court, which provided a significant pause to IVF clinics in Alabama, Governor Kay Ivey declared (according to Mike Cason with al.com) “Following the ruling from the Alabama Supreme Court, I said that in our state, we work to foster a culture of life,” Ivey said. “This certainly includes some couples hoping and praying to be…
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