Background: HB 518 seeks to codify abortion as murder. Amending the definition of person to include an “unborn child from the moment of fertilization,” this bill intends to prosecute a pregnant person for any attempt to terminate a pregnancy at any stage, even if the fetus is non-viable. Alabama’s current abortion ban criminalizes the performance of an abortion as a Class A Felony. This bill would eliminate protections for pregnant people and subject them to murder or assault charges for the termination of fetal development at any stage.
Our Position: We oppose House Bill 518. This bill infringes on the human right to not have a child. The bill puts all birthing people, including those with intentional or wanted pregnancies, at great risk. Alabama already has the third-highest maternal and infant mortality rate in the nation, with even higher rates for Black women. Criminalizing people for seeking potentially life-saving reproductive health care will only exacerbate Alabama’s maternal health crisis and increase the number of preventable injuries and death. Furthermore, this bill has dangerous implications for people undergoing IVF, a process that may involve genetic testing or disposal of frozen embryos. Under this bill, any action that is not transfer of the embryo to the uterus could be seen as “murder.” Ultimately, this bill flagrantly undermines people's autonomy and restricts their opportunities for equal participation in society.
