MONTGOMERY, Alabama --- Gov. Robert Bentley signed into law this morning a bill that will set new regulations on abortion clinics that supporters say will improve care and safety for patients.
"I think this is an historic day," the governor said.
The Alabama Legislature had passed the bill, by Rep. Mary Sue McClurkin, R-Indian Springs, last week.
It requires abortion clinics to use doctors who have hospital admitting privileges in the same city where they do abortions, which supporters of the bill said is an important requirement for follow-up care when women have complications.
The bill will also require clinics to meet the same building safety code standards as ambulatory surgical centers.
The law takes effect July 1.
McClurkin, who opposes abortion, joined the governor for the bill signing at the State Capitol. Other lawmakers and representatives of anti-abortion groups also attended, as did Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey.
"We only think it's fair that when a woman goes to have an abortion that it be in a very safe and protected environment and that she get the utmost of care," McClurkin said. "We would hope that one day she would choose not to."
Opponents of the bill, including Planned Parenthood Southeast, have said it could close clinics and is an effort to restrict access to abortions.
In a news release today, Planned Parenthood Southeast said the provision requiring hospital admitting privileges is similar to one passed in Mississippi that has been challenged in court. The organization said the requirement will not improve health and safety for patients.
But Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale, who sponsored the bill in the Senate, said it was appropriately titled the Women's Health and Safety Act.
"This really is about the health and safety of women," Beason said.
The American Civil Liberties Union issued a news release today saying that the bill "places onerous and medically unnecessary restrictions on abortion providers that could force most, if not all, of Alabama's abortion clinics to close down."
"Alabama has become the latest state to attempt to rob women of the opportunity to make the best decisions for themselves and their families," said Alexa Kolbi-Molinas, staff attorney at the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, according to the news release. "The ACLU will take all appropriate steps, including filing a challenge to block the law if necessary, to ensure that a woman in Alabama can continue to access safe abortion care."
Updated at 11:20 a.m. to add last four paragraphs, at 11:52 a.m. to add quotes from Bentley, McClurkin and Beason and at 2:10 p.m. to add statement from ACLU.