Shortly before a blockbuster Senate hearing on legislation that would restrict most abortions, a new version of the legislation emerged.

The bill, House Bill 481, would still ban abortions in Georgia if doctors can detect a heartbeat – often as early as six weeks – aside from a few exceptions: Rape, incest, the health of the mother or medical futility.

One of the biggest additions involves a new requirement that the father of the unborn child pay for medical and pregnancy-related expenses. That provision was pushed by state Rep. Dar'shun Kendrick, a House Democratic leader who still opposes the overall bill.

The Senate version also cuts a preamble that Democrats and other critics said was inaccurate and incendiary.

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Stacey Abrams speaks at a rally for Vice President Kamala Harris at Georgia State University’s convocation center in Atlanta on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. Abrams is at the center of speculation over whether she will mount a third campaign for governor. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

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A smoggy skyline rose behind Hartsfield Jackson International Airport on June 12, 2024, when a Code Orange air quality alert was in effect. (John Spink/AJC)

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