Utah Senate approves 18‑week abortion limit with specified exceptions

The Utah Senate on March 13 passed first substitute House Bill 136, which prohibits elective abortions after 18 weeks’ gestation while retaining enumerated exceptions, including when the mother’s life is at risk, serious impairment of major bodily functions, fatal fetal defects and a newly specified exception for severe brain abnormality.

Sponsor Sen. Sandra Henderson said the bill ‘‘preserves the woman's right to choose to have an abortion for any reason up until 18 weeks’’ and argued the measure reflects the state's interest in protecting life while maintaining exceptions long recognized in statute. Henderson also said 18 weeks is longer than the limits in many other countries and described the bill as seeking a balance that retains a woman’s choice while signaling that ‘‘we value life.’’

Opponents expressed constitutional and fiscal concerns. Sen. Davis said she ‘‘rise[s] in opposition of this bill’’ and warned repeated legislative efforts to restrict abortion invite costly litigation and could deny women constitutionally protected health‑care choices. Several senators urged alternatives focused on prevention — expanded family planning, sex education and funding for services — rather than restrictions likely to provoke court challenges.

After extended floor debate that included moral, legal and budgetary arguments, the Senate voted to pass the bill under suspension of the rules. The final roll call recorded 23 senators voting aye and six voting no. The measure will be returned to the House for concurrence and the sponsors said they expect further judicial and legislative scrutiny.

What’s next: The bill proceeds back to the House following the Senate's vote; proponents said they would pursue the measure with the specified exceptions, while opponents signaled likely legal challenges.