Little Rock, Ark., Mar 8, 2013 / 17:07 pm
Arkansas legislators have overridden a veto by the governor in order to prohibit most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, the earliest ban of any state in the country.
"I feel grateful that people recognize that the abortion policy of this nation has not made abortions rare," said the bill's sponsor, Sen. Jason Rapert, in a statement. "In Arkansas, we have now recognized the need for a more balanced policy, and Roe v. Wade has allowed us this option."
"I am so proud of my fellow legislators for standing up and protecting the lives of unborn children," he continued. "When there is a heartbeat, there is life."
The Arkansas Human Heartbeat Protection Act bans nearly all abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy. The so-called "heartbeat bill" is named after its supporters' argument that unborn babies deserve legal protection once a heartbeat can be identified on an abdominal ultrasound.