A federal judge temporarily blocked Georgia’s abortion ban Tuesday.
U.S. District Judge Steve Jones temporarily blocked the implementation of the law, which was scheduled to go into effect Jan. 1. Jones’s actions follow a June lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood, and the Center for Reproductive Rights, according to WSB-TV Atlanta.
Jones ruled Georgia’s current abortion laws will remain in place for the time being, reported The Associated Press. (RELATED: Judge Temporarily Blocks Missouri Law Banning Abortion After 8 Weeks)
Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed H.B. 481, the “fetal heartbeat bill,” in March. It outlaws abortions in Georgia after a fetal heartbeat is detected and makes exceptions in cases of rape and incest if the woman files a police report, and when the mother’s health is at risk.
“We are currently reviewing Judge Jones’ decision,” Candice Broce, director of communications and deputy executive counsel for Kemp, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Despite today’s outcome, we remain confident in our position. We will continue to fight for the unborn and work to ensure that all Georgians have the opportunity to live, grow, and prosper.”
Georgia State Rep. Erica Thomas speaks during a protest against recently passed abortion ban bills at the Georgia State Capitol building, on May 21, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Georgia “heartbeat” bill would ban abortion when a fetal heartbeat is detected. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)
“Today is a tremendous victory for the women of Georgia and for the Constitution,” said ACLU of Georgia legal director Sean Young. “Politicians have no business telling women or couples when to start or expand a family. This case has always been about one thing: Letting her decide.”
Planned Parenthood also weighed in on the ruling, saying it considers it a victory. (RELATED: These Are The Hollywood Studios Threatening To Boycott Georgia Over The Heartbeat Law)
“This is a victory for Georgia and people all across the country,” Barbara Ann Luttrell, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood Southeast, told CBS News. “We promise the people we serve and the people across the state to protect access to abortion and together we have.”
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