For more information: Joshua Edmonds, (678) 597-8055, [email protected]

GLA’s Flagship Legislation, The Women’s Health & Safety Act, Introduced In Georgia Senate

ATLANTA – Georgia Life Alliance’s 2022 priority legislation, the Women’s Health & Safety Act (SB 351), was introduced in the Georgia Senate Monday by a coalition of more than 20 Senators, led by Chairman Bruce Thompson, President Pro Tempore Butch Miller, Rules Chairman Jeff Mullis, Caucus Vice Chairman Larry Walker, and Majority Whip Steve Gooch.

The Biden Administration’s FDA has ended an Obama-era safety rule that would now allow abortion pills to be provided via telemedicine or sent directly through the mail without a doctor ever examining the woman in person. GLA has been working with Senators Thompson and Miller since December of 2020 on legislation to ensure Georgia women are not put at increased risk of injury or death due to this new reckless practice.

“Georgia has a maternal mortality crisis, and women dying from complications such as obstetric hemorrhaging – the chief side effect of the abortion pill,” said Joshua Edmonds, GLA’s Executive Director. “This rule change from the FDA will only worsen the crisis and undermine the efforts of the Georgia Maternal Mortality Review Committee and the DPH over the last several years to protect our communities.”

A recent, first-of-its-kind study found that the abortion pill is a major public health threat. The study analyzed 423,000 confirmed abortions and found that the rate of abortion-related emergency room visits following the abortion pill increased by more than 500% from 2002 through 2015 (Studnicki, et al., Health Services Research and Managerial Epidemiology, January 2021).

The Women’s Health & Safety Act will require a pregnant woman to receive an in-person exam from a licensed physician prior to an abortion to ensure that she is not at increased risk of complications as well as prohibit abortion pills from being provided via telemedicine or sent through the mail. Similar legislation has been passed in OK, TX, IN, AZ, MT, and SD.

Georgia Life Alliance is the largest pro-life group in the state and the only state affiliate to National Right to Life.

###