By Charles Boothe, Bluefield Daily Telegraph
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Several potentially controversial bills were filed this week by West Virginia legislators, including two that would set limits on when legal abortions can be performed.
Senate Bill 94 is called the Fetal Heartbeat Act and would prohibit abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected, which is usually around six weeks after gestation.
House Bill 4004 would prohibit abortions after 15 weeks gestation.
Both bills allow for exceptions regarding medical emergencies and severe fetal abnormality and both have penalties for anyone who performs what would be considered an illegal abortion.
The bills come in the wake of the U.S. Supreme now considering a Mississippi state law that passed prohibiting abortions after 15 weeks, which mirrors the West Virginia House version…