'I feel like we had a victory': Savannah activists on decision to overturn 'heartbeat bill'

A Fulton County judge overturned Georgia's six-week abortion ban, commonly known as the "heartbeat bill," on Tuesday. The decision came nearly five months after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and four months after The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals lifted an injunction on House Bill 481.

The bill banned most abortions in Georgia at six weeks — before most people know they are pregnant — and took effect immediately after the court issued an immediate stay.

The 2019 anti-abortion bill was temporarily held up in court after being ruled unconstitutional in 2020. The bill was also immediately blocked by a successful lawsuit by SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective and a wide range of reproductive care providers that argued the law was unconstitutional under Roe v. Wade.

Initial reporting: Fulton Superior Court overturns 'heartbeat bill' banning most abortions in Georgia

More on overturn: With injunction reversed, court says 'heartbeat' abortion law takes immediate effect

Previous local reporting: Savannah women tell their abortion stories in wake of Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade

"At that time — the spring of 2019 — everywhere in America, including Georgia, it was unequivocally unconstitutional for governments — federal, state, or local — to ban abortions before viability," Judge Robert C. I. McBurney wrote, referring to the original passage of the 6-week ban.

What local activists had to say

Coco Papy, reproductive rights activist

Coco Papy said that with the recent ruling, she hopes the Georgia General Assembly is taking notes on the changing demographics and realizing that "this is a bipartisan issue."

"If anything, the midterm election showed us that Americans support abortion access and that the decision by SCOTUS a few months ago really is not in line with the fact that over 80% of Americans support abortion care and believe that abortion is health care," Papy said.

"We're seeing it backfire on elected officials who have decided to go after it with full force. I hope our general assembly ... makes the right decision this session and decides to not create restrictive legislation."

Morgan Pikaard, President of Savannah Federation of Democratic Women

Pikaard said they felt a sense of happiness and gratitude when the "heartbeat bill" was overturned.

"Everyone deserves the right to bodily autonomy and HB 481 is an attack on our basic freedoms. I don't know what Georgia has in store for us now, but for today, I feel like we had a victory."

Planned Parenthood Southeast's response

In a statement released after the decision, Amy Kennedy, vice president of external affairs at Planned Parenthood Southeast, said:

"Thankfully, today’s ruling offers relief from our state’s devastating abortion ban, but make no mistake: the threat to Georgians’ health and rights will remain so long as politicians try to interfere with our personal decisions."

“We already know that abortion opponents will stop at nothing until abortion has been completely outlawed. This is a critical step in the long fight for reproductive freedom. We are prepared to do everything we can to ensure abortion care is available and accessible to everyone in Georgia.”

ACLU of Georgia's response

“Today’s ruling recognizes that the legislature’s decision to take away abortion access across our state was in clear violation of the law,” said Andrea Young, executive director of ACLU of Georgia, in a released statement.

“Today is a great day for Georgia women and for all Georgians. Today their right to make decisions for their own bodies, health, and families is vindicated. We hope that the Georgia Supreme Court affirms that right, and in doing so affirms the long-standing Georgia rule that the legislature cannot pass laws that disregard our constitutional protections.”

Laura Nwogu is the quality of life reporter for Savannah Morning News. Contact her at LNwogu@gannett.com. Twitter: @lauranwogu_

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah activists react to overturn of Georgia heartbeat bill