A judge in Fulton County, Georgia, has overturned the state’s “Heartbeat Law” on abortion, which made it illegal to terminate a pregnancy after six weeks.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney issued the order on Monday, saying abortions must be regulated the way they were before the “Heartbeat Law” went into effect, meaning abortions could be allowed until the 22-week mark.

“The authors of our Constitutions, state and federal, entrusted to future generations a charter protecting the right of all persons to enjoy liberty as we learn its meaning,” McBurney wrote in his final order. “A review of our higher courts’ interpretations of ‘liberty’ demonstrates that liberty in Georgia includes in its meaning, in its protections, and in its bundle of rights the power of a woman to control her own body, to decide what happens to it and in it, and to reject state interference with her healthcare choices.

“That power is not, however, unlimited,” the judge added. “When a fetus growing inside a woman reaches viability, when society can assume care and responsibility for that separate life, then – and only then – may society intervene.”

GEORGIA SUPREME COURT REJECTS CHALLENGE TO ABORTION LAW

Anit-abortion activists hold signs outside the U.S. Supreme Court after overturning of Roe Vs. Wade, in Washington, D.C., on June 24, 2022.  (Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

McBurney continued, saying a law that prevents abortions after six weeks was inconsistent with those rights as well as the proper balance that a viability rule establishes between a woman’s rights and society’s interests in protecting and caring for unborn infants.

He then declared the “Life Act” as “unconstitutional.”

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, signed the “Heartbeat” abortion bill, also known as the Living Infants Fairness and Equality Act,” into law in 2019. The law made abortions after the six-week mark illegal.

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GEORGIA GOV. BRIAN KEMP SIGNS CONTROVERSIAL ‘HEARTBEAT’ BILL INTO LAW

An abortion-rights demonstrator holds a sign during a rally, May 14, 2022. (AP)

There were exceptions written into the law, including rape and incest, as long as a police report was filed. Another exception to the law allowed for abortions after six weeks if the mother’s life was at risk or if a serious medical condition rendered a fetus inviable.

The law signed by Kemp was blocked by a federal judge in October 2019 — before it went into effect — and ruled it violated the right to abortion established by Roe. v. Wade in 1973.

The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, which cleared the way for Georgia’s law on abortion to go into effect.

GEORGIA ABORTION LAW: A LOOK BACK AT WHAT HOLLYWOOD PRODUCTION COMPANIES HAVE SAID ABOUT FILMING IN THE STATE

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Georgia’s Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed the “Heartbeat” abortion bill in 2019, though a Fulton County judge called the law unconstitutional. (Megan Varner/Getty Images)

McBurney, in November 2022, ruled the law was “unequivocally unconstitutional” because it was enacted in 2019 when Roe v. Wade allowed abortions after six weeks.

But in October 2023, the Georgia Supreme Court rejected the ruling in a 6-1 decision, saying McBurney was wrong.

“When the United States Supreme Court overrules its own precedent interpreting the United States Constitution, we are then obligated to apply the Court’s new interpretation of the Constitution’s meaning on matters of federal constitutional law,” Justice Verda Colvin wrote for the majority.

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McBurney’s ruling on Monday stated that the state, county, municipal and other local authorities are “enjoined” from seeking to enforce the six-week abortion law.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.

Story tips and can be sent to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and on Twitter @GregWehner.

Why Georgia’s matchup against the Auburn Tigers has become highly important.

Georgia is coming off of a heart breaking loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide this past weekend, but there is no time to continue to mourn as the Bulldogs have to get ready for their game against Auburn now. This will be the first home game for the Dawgs since week two against Tennessee Tech and while Auburn has had their fair share of struggles this season, this weekend’s game has turned into an important one for Georgia.

Any positives that came out of Georgia’s game against Alabama happened during the second half of the game. The Bulldogs’ offense turned the heat up, started forcing the ball downfield and successfully marched down the field multiple times to eventually take a lead in the ball game. The defense also stepped up time and time again to allow Georgia to fight back into the game and it looked as if Georgia might have found something in themselves.

Georgia’s opportunity though this next week is centralized on the offensive side of the ball. The offense had some struggles against Kentucky and those struggles trickled over in the first half of the Alabama game, but an identity might have been found for Georgia. When Georgia was forced to push the ball downfield, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo drew up shot after shot, and quarterback Carson Beck and the offense appeared to have found a rhythm.

The game against Auburn has now turned into an opportunity for Georgia to find confirmation in what their offense was able to do against Alabama. With games like Texas, Ole Miss and Tennessee still left on the schedule, Georgia picking up any momentum they can down the stretch will be crucial, and the Auburn game will be a great opportunity for that to happen.

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STORY: ::September 29, 2024

::Blaze at Georgia chemical plant reignited

after being contained, says fire chief

::Conyers, Georgia

Marian McDaniel/Fire Chief/Rockdale County

“The fire was contained and then the water supply secured. During the time they were offloading the product from the building, the fire reignited around 12 noon. For the past two or 3 hours, it’s been battling that fire to where we now have it out. Once again, the water is secure and we’re waiting to clean up some of debris so we can commence back to moving the product out of the building.”

Sharon Webb/ Director /Emergency Management/Rockdale County

“We did put a mandatory evacuation zone that extends to Sigmond to Lake View, our former road, as well as Urban Bridge to Georgia 20 and Georgia 20 Back to Sigmund Road. We have I-20 is shut down from turn Hill all the way to Salem Road for the time being. Anyone out of this zone or the north side? We do recommend shelter in place until the plume clears.”

“During the time they were offloading the product from the building, the fire reignited around 12 noon. For the past two or 3 hours, it’s been battling that fire to where we now have it out. Once again, the water is secure and we’re waiting to clean up some of debris so we can commence back to moving the product out of the building,” said McDaniel.

The incident began around 5:30 a.m. (0930 GMT) when a sprinkler system malfunctioned, reacting with chemicals inside the factory and creating a massive plume of smoke visible from miles away.

The fire resulted in a shelter-in-place order for all Rockdale County residents. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) are currently on-site assessing potential hazards, as officials warn of possible toxic exposure from the smoke.