Alabama Democrats say Rowe’s address to Wade has “immediately and negatively” affected women, families

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (WIAT) – In the days following the annulment of the United States Supreme Court in the Rowe v. Wade case, the Alabama House Democratic Group responded to the news that the court was returning abortion rights back to the states.

On Monday, the group released a statement about the Dobbs Women’s Health Organization v. Jackson, a Mississippi lawsuit that led to Roe’s dismissal of Wade:

“Democrats in Alabama House have long defended a woman’s right to vote. The recent decision in Dobbs has immediately and negatively affected women and families in Alabama. Unfortunately, the “trigger” law in Alabama, which was passed by a majority of Republicans in 2019, is now in force and is one of the most restrictive in the country. In 2019, after hours of debate when it became clear that the Republican Party intended to adopt a total ban without the support of Democrats, minority leader Daniels introduced an amendment to the bill to allow at least protection against rape and incest. His amendment was rejected by the Republican super-majority. This means that Republicans are the reason rape and incest are not included in the 2019 law. However, Alabama Democrats continue to propose legislation and support policies to expand women’s rights and access to affordable health care.

“Democrats in Alabama House strongly believe in women’s rights and will continue to make women’s health a top priority. To be clear, we oppose Dobbs’ decision because we believe it will have an unprecedented negative impact on women across Alabama and disproportionately affect those who have historically been underserved and underrepresented.

“Despite this harmful decision, we will continue our efforts to protect women’s rights, increase their ability to access affordable health care and increase their opportunities.

“Women in Alabama are strong and important leaders in our families, communities and the economy, and they need to be empowered to make their own decisions.

Following the SCOTUS decision, Alabama was one of several states to pass newer, more restrictive abortion laws. Among the principles of the Alabama Abortion Act is that abortion should be a criminal offense, as well as without exception for rape or incest.