ATLANTA – In response to the recent House passage of House Bill 481 on Thursday, March 7, the Georgia House Democratic Caucus today issued the following statement:
“For the past week, the State of Georgia has made national news due to House Bill 481 (“Heartbeat Bill”). The controversial bill outlaws abortion after a fetus’ heartbeat can be detected, which is often before many women even know they are pregnant.
“Georgia ranks #1 in maternal mortality rates. The state ranks 48th in health care coverage for women. Nearly half of the 159 counties have no OB-GYN. Instead of focusing on issues that affect Georgia women, Republicans are supporting measures that would be harmful to our citizens.
“The Georgia House Democratic Caucus stands in firm opposition to this bill. Citizens must make their voices heard.
“Call, email and visit your State Senator today. This bill is bad for women; this bill is bad for Georgia. We can work together to stop it.”
State Representative Erica Thomas (D-Austell) added the following statement:
“The Heartbeat Bill is an outright attack on women and reproductive health in our state. As a woman who has a daughter and is currently expecting her second, I am saddened to see our Georgia General Assembly disregard women’s voices and experiences. This bill is not the way to move Georgia forward.”
For media interviews with members of the Georgia House Democratic Caucus, please contact Tenisha Taylor Bell at Tenisha@PerfectPitchMediaGroup.com or call 678-429-4254.
Representative Erica Thomas represents the citizens of District 39, which includes portions of Cobb County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2014 and currently serves as House Minority Caucus Vice Chairman. She also serves on the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight, Juvenile Justice, Retirement and Science and Technology committees.
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