HB31 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Anthony DanielsRepresentative

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Abortion, rape and incest exceptions, provided

Summary

HB31 would add rape and incest exceptions to Alabama's abortion ban, require safeguards for health-risk abortions, define penalties for violations, and take effect October 1, 2024.

What This Bill Does

Abortion is still generally prohibited, but the bill creates exceptions for pregnancies from rape or incest. For health-risk abortions, an attending physician must determine necessity, and a second Alabama-licensed physician must confirm in writing within 180 days, with that writing serving as evidence of a permitted abortion. Those who illegally perform abortions outside these exceptions could face fines of $100 to $1,000 and up to 12 months in county jail. The bill also defines rape and incest for these purposes and specifies the effective date of October 1, 2024.

Who It Affects

• Pregnant individuals: gain new exceptions to obtain an abortion if the pregnancy results from rape or incest, and retain access to abortions to protect the mother’s serious health risk with doctor oversight.
• Medical professionals/abortion providers: must follow the new rules for health-risk abortions (two Alabama-licensed physicians; written confirmation within 180 days) and could be penalized if they perform abortions outside the allowed exceptions.

Key Provisions

• Amends Sections 13A-13-7 and 26-23H-4 to add exceptions to the abortion prohibition for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest.
• Defines rape and incest for purposes of these provisions, including specific scenarios of forcible intercourse, incapacity to consent, and related familial relationships.
• Creates criminal penalties for willfully inducing an abortion outside the permitted exceptions: fines of $100 to $1,000 and possible imprisonment up to 12 months.
• Allows abortions to prevent a serious health risk to the mother only when an Alabama-licensed attending physician determines necessity, with a second Alabama-licensed physician confirming in writing within 180 days; such confirmation serves as prima facie evidence of a permitted abortion.
• Allows abortions when the pregnancy result is from rape or incest under the defined conditions.
• Effective date: October 1, 2024.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Health