ATLANTA — The Georgia Supreme Court has reinstated the state’s controversial heartbeat abortion law while an appeal from the Georgia Attorney General’s Office is being heard.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney issued an order last week overturning the law, calling it unconstitutional. The next day, Attorney General Chris Carr filed an appeal.
He asked the Georgia Supreme Court to reinstate the law during the appeal process. On Monday, the Georgia Supreme Court granted a stay of the Superior Court’s order.
The order begins at 5 p.m. after which doctors cannot legally perform abortions if they detect fetal cardiac activity, which is usually seen at or around six weeks.
Monica Simpson, executive director for SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, called the court’s decision “unconscionable.”
“Denying our community members the lifesaving care they deserve jeopardizes their lives, safety, and health—all for the sake of power and control over our bodies,” Simpson said.