Arkansas Enacts Near-Total Ban on Abortion

On Tuesday, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed an astonishingly sweeping legislation that almost completely bans abortions in the state.

Citing “overwhelming legislative support and my sincere and long-held pro-life conviction” as the deciding factor, Hutchinson implements possibly the most exhaustive ban on abortion in any state in modern America. The bill only allows for a legal abortion to save the life of the mother, without even exceptions for those impregnated by rape or incest.

Hutchinson did express his dismay with the legislation’s lack of exceptions for rape and incest, however believes the “exceptions would increase the chances for a review by the U.S. Supreme Court.”

“(The ban) is in contradiction of binding precedents of the U.S. Supreme Court, but it is the intent of the legislation to set the stage for the Supreme Court overturning current case law,” he said in a statement released by his office. “I would have preferred the legislation to include the exceptions for rape and incest, which has been my consistent view, and such exceptions would increase the chances for a review by the U.S. Supreme Court.”

Abortion rights groups have every intention to challenge the legislation in court, a battle hopefully fought in the Supreme Court soon.

Supporters hope such a staggering ban on abortion will finally force the Supreme Court to review the 1973 case of Roe V. Wade, which legalized abortion nationwide. With three pro-life justices appointed during the Trump administration, Hutchinson hopes this legislation will mark the beginning of the end for abortion in America.