What Does Georgia's Heartbeat Bill Do?
Georgia's Heartbeat Bill went into effect on July 20, 2022. Since then, there has been a campaign of disinformation from the abortion industry and the abortion-friendly media. As the group who wrote the law and led the statewide coalition to help pass it, we have created a one-stop-shop for the truth about HB 481.
First In History
HB 481 made history by doing 3 things for the first time in American history:
- The first thing the Heartbeat Bill changes in Georgia Law is the definition of "Natural Person" to now include babies in the womb. This has been the goal of the pro-life movement since the 1960s, and some states have even tried to amend their constitutions to give personhood rights to preborn babies. Georgia is the first state in the Nation to have accomplished that in the Heartbeat Bill.
- Despite what you have heard, the Heartbeat Bill is inherently pro-woman. That's why, for the first time in history, a woman is given the legal right to seek child support (up to the cost of medical expenses) from the biological father of her child while she is pregnant.
- Raising a family is expensive, and those expenses begin well before the baby is born. That's why Georgia's Heartbeat Bill builds on personhood for preborn babies by extending Georgia's state income tax exemption for dependents to babies in the womb. The Department of Revenue has already issued guidance on how this critical support will be available to families this tax year.
No Politicizing Loss
The pro-abortion media and abortion activists like Stacey Abrams have waged a misinformation campaign to try to convince the public that Georgia's Heartbeat Bill criminalizes miscarriages, allows law enforcement to investigate women suffering loss, and prevents doctors from providing life-saving care to women. That is patently false. Not only does HB 481 explicitly protect women from prosecution and exclude miscarriage from the definition of abortion, the Georgia Court of Appeals ruled in Hillman v. State the women cannot be prosecuted for abortions. Liberal fact-checker Politifact even investigated the false claims about the Heartbeat Bill and ruled that they are FALSE. Miscarriage ≠ abortion. Period.
Care Not Criminalized
Families suffer enough loss and tragedy during pregnancy without life saving care being shrouded in political rhetoric. Georgia's Heartbeat Bill specifically defines abortion in a way that ensures life saving care in tragic scenarios like ectopic pregnancy are legally protected. Despite what pundits say, care is not criminalized.
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Statewide Mailing address:
2451 Cumberland Pkwy Suite 3205
Atlanta, Georgia 30339
Coastal Georgia Office:
1700 Frederica Road Suite 304
St. Simon’s Island, Georgia 31522
Give us a call:
(678) 597-8055
