The Utah Senate approved a bill on Monday banning all elective abortions in the event the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.
The bill would prohibit abortion in all cases except those where the life of the mother or significant bodily functions of the mother are at risk, the unborn fetus has a “lethal” defect or severe brain abnormality (as confirmed by two fetal physicians), or the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest, which has been reported.
The bill notes that “abortion” does not include “the removal of a dead unborn child” or the removal of an ectopic pregnancy.
The bill was also written so that it will not take effect until “a court of binding authority” (in this case, the Supreme Court) holds that a state may prohibit abortion at any gestational period, subject to the exceptions noted in the bill.
The bill is surrounded by a significant amount of controversy and will now go before the state House of Representatives.
