The bill prohibits abortion in all cases except when necessary to save the mother’s life, declaring the procedure a felony punishable by 10 to 99 years in prison. Even attempting to perform an abortion would carry a one to 10 year sentence. The measure passed the state Senate 25 to 6 on Tuesday after a long, drawn-out debate that included filibusters, shouting matches and protests, and now needs only the signature of the governor – a pro-life Republican – before it becomes law.

The bill is draconian on purpose, State Rep. Terri Collins (R), its sponsor, told the Washington Post after its passage, explaining that exceptions for rape and incest victims were specifically left out because the law’s backers want it to be challenged all the way to the Supreme Court. They hope to force a legal battle with the ultimate goal of overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. Collins, who previously supported so-called “heartbeat bills” that ban abortion at any point after a fetus’ heartbeat can be detected, believes desperate times call for desperate measures: “I believe we can’t get a heartbeat bill until we get Roe v. Wade turned over,” she said.

Democratic presidential candidates took to Twitter to voice their disapproval.

Incredulous women pointed to the bill’s disproportionately male supporters – though its sponsor is female, and Alabama’s governor, a woman, has the final say in whether it becomes law.