Arkansas Senate passes bill to outlaw abortion after 20 weeks

The Arkansas Senate on Tuesday approved legislation to ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, according to Reuters.

The Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act makes it a crime to perform an abortion once a fetus is capable of experiencing pain, which anti-abortion advocates claim occurs around 20 weeks of pregnancy. Under current law, abortion is prohibited after 25 weeks.

The Arkansas Senate approved the legislation by a 25-7 vote.

Unlike the House version of the bill, the Senate included exceptions in the case of rape or incest. The changes mean the state's House must again pass the bill before it heads to Democratic Gov. Mike Bebee.

Bebee has not said whether he will sign the bill, but has suggested it would be unconstitutional.

Seven states have passed similar "fetal pain" laws.