Amendment 2: Rights of the unborn v. right to choose

BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBRC) - The debate over abortion has always been a heated issue. Amendment 2 will ask Alabama voters in November to make a choice on the state’s stance on the matter.

Part of the amendment says: “Recognize and support the sanctity of life and the rights of unborn children, including the right to life.”

Parker Snider is the Policy Manager for the Alabama Policy Institute. The conservative think tank is backing the amendment.

“It puts into the state constitution verbiage saying Alabama is a pro-life state. so it doesn’t immediately eliminate abortion in the state,” Snider said.

Snider says Roe v. Wade is the law of the land, but many hope the U.S. Supreme Court will reverse the ruling after the recent appointment of Brett Kavanaugh to the high court.

“It’s a signal to our legislature in Alabama. In Alabama, the pro-life movement is alive and well,” Snider said. Snider says it will still be up to the state legislature to ban abortions.

Birmingham Representative Juandalynn Givan opposed the amendment in the statehouse and opposes it now. “It’s going to be a situation where women’s rights are going to be taken away from them. Their right to choose. Their right to make a decision,” Givan said.

Planned Parenthood of Alabama is teaming with other groups to fight passage of the amendment. In a statement, State Director Katie Glenn says: “Amendment 2 paves the way to ban all abortion in the state of Alabama - even in cases of rape, incest, or if the woman’s life is at risk. Amendment 2 goes too far."

Both pro-life and pro-choice groups are seeking funding to campaign for and against the amendment.

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