The House of Representatives in the U.S. state of Alabama has approved two bills that would restrict the locations of abortion clinics and ban dismemberment abortions.
With the approval of SB 205, two of the state's three abortion clinics may have to shut down as these are located within 2,000 feet of public schools, AL.com reported.
It said the abortion clinics in Tuscaloosa and Hunstville are within the area targeted by the bill, which is expected to be signed by Gov. Robert Bentley.
The two clinics performed 5,297 abortions in 2014, based on data from the Alabama Department of Public Health. The number is equivalent to 80 percent of the 8,080 abortions performed in the state that year.
The Tuscaloosa clinic is near the Tuscaloosa Magnet elementary and middle schools while the Hunstville facility is right across the street from the Academy for Academics and Arts.
During the debate, Democratic members of the House sang "We shall overcome," the TimesDaily.com reports.
"You are not here to put your beliefs on other people and that is all that y'all have done," Democrat Rep. Mary Moore told the bill's House sponsor. "I can't understand that level of intolerance."
Sponsor Rep. Ed Henry said, "I personally don't feel like these type of facilities need to be anywhere near our children."
Rev. James Henderson met the media outside the Alabama Women's Center in Huntsville and said, "No longer will the children be exposed to the anger and the obscenities and the hostilities, the emotional distress."
In addition, the House also passed SB 363, or the "Unborn Child Protection Act," that will make dismemberment abortions illegal "unless necessary to prevent serious health risk to the mother of the unborn child," LifeSite News reports.
Republican Rep. Mack Butler said the measure will outlaw second trimester abortions as 96 percent of the abortions are dismemberment abortions where the arms and legs are ripped off the baby.
"This is a barbaric procedure and I am proud to have had a hand in stopping this evil. We must defend the defenceless and celebrate life," he said.
