HB295 Summary: Alabama Heartbeat Act

• Prohibits abortion if a fetal heartbeat has been detected or if no test for fetal heartbeat was performed, with exceptions for medical emergencies and federal law compliance.

• Authorizes private civil actions against anyone who performs, induces, or aids/abets an abortion in violation of the act, including those paying for or reimbursing abortion costs.

• Provides statutory damages of at least $10,000 per abortion, injunctive relief, and court costs and attorney fees to prevailing plaintiffs; defendants cannot recover attorney fees.

• Restricts defenses by prohibiting defendants from asserting women's constitutional rights (with limited exceptions based on federal case law) and precluding certain common defenses like unconstitutionality of the act.

• Makes entities challenging abortion restrictions jointly and severally liable for costs and attorney fees of prevailing parties, and shields the state from enforcement actions through sovereign immunity provisions.