LA ABORTION BILL - A bill that would ban abortions in Louisiana once a fetal heartbeat has been detected is one step closer to final passage, after the House Health and Welfare committee advanced the bill without objection Wednesday. The bill’s author, Senator John Milkovich (Democrat from Shreveport) told the committee several other states including Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia have passed similar bills.
“States from across the nation are saying we are no longer going to devalue life,” said Milkovich.
Louisiana is already defending a host of abortion laws and regulations in court. This new bill is tied to a similar measure in Mississippi that is also being challenged in federal court. If Mississippi’s law is ruled constitutional then Louisiana’s would take effect. But opponents, like Michelle Erenberg with pro-choice group Lift Louisiana, say that’s unlikely.
“This legislature’s attempt to inoculate itself from legal challenge by tying this bill to the outcome of a legal challenge in another state acknowledges that this [bill] would be challenged in court and likely struck down. So what are we even doing here?” Erenberg questioned.
Louisiana law currently prohibits abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy. If the House approves the Fetal-Heartbeat bill, it will go to Governor John Bel Edwards desk who has indicated he would sign it into law.
