ATLANTA — Emotions ran high Friday at the State Capitol after the passage of a controversial abortion bill was passed late Thursday night in the state House.
One sign of protest happened Friday afternoon as several women stood on the Capitol’s steps in red capes and white bonnets, like those worn by the characters in the popular book and television series, “The Handmaid's Tale.”
Channel 2 political reporter Richard Elliot spoke with state Rep. Ed Setzler, R-Acworth, about what he called his "life" bill. As they were getting ready to begin their interview, a protester interrupted them.
“That’s exactly what you’re doing. You believe you have rights and dominion over my body and the women of this state,” the woman told Setzler.
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He listened patiently to what the woman had to say and then returned to talk to Elliot about his bill, which would ban abortions after six weeks instead of the 20 weeks under current law.
Setzler said this issue is so volatile that everyone needs to be heard.
"There are people who are passionate on both sides of this question, and I think they need to be heard," Setzler told Elliot.
State Rep. Erica Thomas, D-Atlanta, was one of several Democrats who turned their backs on Setzler as he explained his bill Thursday night.
She hopes the Senate will somehow defeat the bill.
“I’ll just be praying that, you know, the Senate does not pass this bill. It’s so detrimental to so many women,” Thomas said.
The Faith and Freedom Coalition’s Virginia Galloway, who’s supported this kind of legislation for years, told Elliot that she believes the bill will pass.
“I believe it will pass in the Senate, although, you never know,” Galloway said.
Privately, some Republicans worry the bill could hurt their party’s chances in 2020, particularly in the north-metro suburbs.
House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, said the matter is now with the Senate.
“The Senate has had this same bill for the same period of time that we had. They never gave it a hearing, so I don’t know where the Senate is on it,” Ralston said.
In a late-night news conference Thursday, Gov. Brian Kemp said he supported the bill but also seemed to signal that he wants to see some changes made to the bill before he’ll be ready to sign it.
Cox Media Group
