SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A proposal for Utah to ban most abortions if the U.S. legal landscape changes passed the Utah Senate Monday.
It was approved on a party-line vote after Democrats argued against the plan to make performing an abortion a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. It has exceptions for cases of rape, incest or serious threat to the health of the mother.
The measure to ban most abortions contains a so-called trigger clause. That means it wouldn’t go into effect unless the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case that legalized abortion. Several states have abortion bans that would kick in if the ruling is overturned.
Republican sponsor Sen. Dan McCay said his plan would help send a message to the Supreme Court. It now moves to the House for consideration.
Republican Gov. Gary Herbert, though, expressed some reservation about the plan during monthly press conference last week at PBS Utah.
Utah last year passed a ban on the procedure after 18 weeks of pregnancy, though it’s been blocked in court. It was one of several states emboldened by new conservatives on the Supreme Court to pass abortion restrictions.
