Democratic Governor Indicates He Would Sign Heartbeat Abortion Ban Into Law
Shane Trejo
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Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) indicated on Thursday that he would sign legislation that would ban the practice of abortions just weeks after pregnancy when a heartbeat can be detected.
“In eight years in the legislature, I was a pro-life legislator, 100 percent with the Louisiana Right to Life,” Edwards said. “When I ran for governor, I said I was pro-life and so that’s something that’s consistent.”
The legislation was approved by the House Health and Welfare Committee on Wednesday and will be considered by the full state House.
Although the bill has a long way to go before it can be put on his desk and signed into law, Edwards is already receiving flak from pro-abortion lobbying organizations affiliated with the Democratic Party.
“Almost every leading medical association has agreed that banning abortions before viability, which is when a fetus could potentially live viably outside of the mother’s womb, serves absolutely no health benefits and really just skirts what most medical practitioners would advise their patients of,” said Michelle Erenberg, executive director and co-founder of LIFT Louisiana.
“A woman who has been assaulted, been a victim of a crime such as rape or incest, would be forced to carry that pregnancy for nine months and to carry the memory and the burden of the trauma of that experience with her for nine months and I think that is just inconceivable to most people, but apparently it’s not too far for our legislators,” she added.
From his statement, Bel Edwards seems more concerned with satisfying the demands of his constituents rather than appeasing outside pressure groups.
“I know that for many in the national party, on the national scene, that’s not a good fit. But I will tell you, here in Louisiana, I speak and meet with Democrats who are pro-life every single day,” Edwards said.
Similar bills have been passed in Georgia, Alabama and Missouri in recent days, and only Missouri Governor Mike Parson has yet to sign his state’s legislation into law. Legal challenges are expected from far-left advocacy groups like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
“This will never go into effect, as long as ACLU is in litigation,” said ACLU spokesperson Rebecca Seung-Bickley regarding the Alabama abortion restriction.
The courts have not been very friendly to pro-life advocates in recent years, but that may change with the new Supreme Court under President Trump. The long-standing precedent of Roe v. Wade may soon be challenged by a more conservative high court.
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