Louisiana legislators advanced a bill that would prohibit abortion in that southern state..The bill intends to grant constitutional rights to “all unborn children from the moment of fertilization” and classify abortion as a homicide..The Louisiana bill is one of a number of proposals in conservative states to make access to abortion very difficult. The proposals suggest Republicans' are emboldened by the leaked draft opinion from the US Supreme Court..Restrictions could go much further than the so-called trigger laws, prohibitions, and other regulations that will take effect in 26 states if the Roe versus Wade precedent is overturned..Twitter is on fire about the proposals. The move has sparked outrage among opponents.."Welcome to 1940, ladies. Where bodily autonomy and healthcare is criminal homicide," wrote author and opponent of the bill Jamie Schler on Twitter. Others compared the proposal to "living in the Old Testament."."As a Louisianan woman, this is terrifying," said Heather likes bodily autonomy.."Just a reminder, a homicide conviction in Louisiana — second degree murder or first degree murder — comes with a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Under this bill, a person convicted of carrying out an abortion would go to prison for life," said Julie O'Donoghue..Tweets supporting the bill were thin on the ground.."Bill HB 813 past [sic] out of the criminal justice committee will go to the House. An important victory. Onto the next battle," said Travis McNeely..Lawmakers in Nebraska, Ind., and South Dakota said this week they would call for special legislative sessions if Roe is overturned..The legislation was approved by a 7-2 committee vote and now moves to the state’s full House of Representatives for debate..The bill aims to amend the state’s existing homicide law and declares its purpose is to “ensure the right to life and equal protection of the laws to all unborn children from the moment of fertilization by protecting them by the same laws protecting other human beings.”.It appears to permit the prosecution on homicide charges of anyone who has an abortion or performs an abortion, opponents of the bill said..House Bill 813, also known as the Abolition of Abortion in Louisiana Act of 2022, would not only make abortion a murder charge, it would make it a homicide “from the moment of fertilization.”.The fertilized cell cluster, the bill states, would be afforded all the protections of a human being..The bill also states “any and all federal statutes, regulations, treaties, orders, and court rulings which would deprive an unborn child of the right to life or prohibit the equal protection of such right” would be treated as void. It later noted that the bill would be enforced “without regard to the opinions and judgments of the Supreme Court of the United States in Roe v. Wade and its judicial progeny, past and future.”.The implication is that H.B. 813 would be valid whether or not the US Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade..Bradley Pierce of the US Foundation to Abolish Abortion said, “If the Supreme Court ignores the Constitution, you should ignore the court. The Legislature has the right to disregard the Supreme Court.”.Rev. Brian Gunter, the bill’s clerical co-author, said. “The bloodshed in our land is so great we have a duty … to protect the least of these among us.”.H.B. 813, which passed through committee by a 7-2 vote, will now move to the House floor for debate..If the bill manages to pass the GOP-controlled House and Senate, it will head to the desk of Governor John Bel Edwards..Edwards — a Democrat — describing himself as “pro-life,” signed a bill in 2019 banning abortions after a heartbeat is detected, with no exceptions for incest or rape.
