Prairie State Wire

Standing in support of Georgia House Bill 481 comes as naturally as breathing for Illinois Right to Life Action Executive Director Mary Kate Knorr.

“We support any legislation that reflects our values, which first and foremost are about preserving the sanctity of life,” Knorr told South Cook News. “It’s the kind of thing we need to be doing in every state, including here in Illinois.”

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp recently signed off on the so-called “fetal heartbeat bill,” that would ban all abortions where a fetal heartbeat can be detected. Also known as the Living Infants Fairness and Equality Act, HB 481 would apply in all cases except instances where the mother’s life is placed at risk by giving birth or cases of rape or incest before the 20-week mark where a formal police report has been filed.

Illinois Right to Life Action Executive Director Mary Kate Knorr

As of now, women in the state are able to have abortion procedures performed up until the 20th week of pregnancy. The new law would officially take effect on Jan. 1, 2020.

Knorr said the urgency for such legislation could not be more critical than it is now.

“Now more than ever the pro-abortion side is pushing abortion and pushing laws that lift restrictions on abortion every day,” Knorr added. “It’s now more important than ever that we aggressively promote pro-life legislation.”

Here in Illinois, newly elected Republican state representative Chris Miller (Oakland) recently filed similar legislation that would outlaw all abortions where a fetal heartbeat can be detected. Despite being filed early in the session, it remains stuck in House committee, where it almost certainly will not get a full vote, given the legislature’s overwhelming Democratic majority.

In Georgia, Kemp’s proposal has run into stark opposition from the likes of the American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood, both of whom contend the legislation is an attempted ban on “safe, legal abortion.”