LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas lawmakers have sent legislation to Gov. Asa Hutchinson that would ban abortions in the state if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns its landmark 1973 ruling legalizing the procedure nationwide.
The House on Thursday approved by a 72-20 vote the proposal to ban all abortions, except for medical emergencies, if the nation's highest court overturns the Roe v. Wade decision. The ban would also take effect if the U.S. Constitution is amended to allow states to prohibit abortion.
[RELATED: Complete Democrat-Gazette coverage of the Arkansas Legislature]
Four states have similar "trigger" laws banning abortion.
The measure is among several abortion bans that have been proposed in the majority-Republican legislature. They include a measure filed this week that would ban abortions 18 weeks into a woman's pregnancy. Arkansas already bans abortions at 20 weeks.