Politics

By Sam Karlin, The Advocate - Louisiana lawmakers have passed a bill that would ban abortions at about six weeks of pregnancy if upheld by the courts, sending it to the governor's desk without exceptions for victims of rape and incest… Gov. John Bel Edwards, the only Democratic governor in the Deep South, said he will sign the bill into law… Supporters of the so-called “fetal heartbeat” legislation defeated proposed changes that would have exempted victims of rape and incest from the abortion ban in a lengthy and at times fiery debate in the state House Wednesday. Critics called the ban “unconscionable” without such exceptions.

By Steven Ertelt, LifeNews - The Louisiana legislature today gave its final approval to the heartbeat bill to make it the next state to ban abortions this year – following states like Ohio, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama and Missouri. Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards says he will sign a bill that bans abortions when a baby’s heartbeat begins… The Louisiana House voted 79-23 to pass the pro-life bill — sending it to the governor for his signature. The House rejected an amendment that would have provided an exception to allow killing unborn babies in cases of rape or incest… The Heartbeat Bill, when it goes into effect, will prohibit abortion when a human heartbeat can be detected. An abdominal ultrasound can detect a heartbeat between eight and twelve weeks.