Louisiana Is The 50th State To Introduce Anti-Abortion Legislation

While reporting this post, we were struck by the Guttmacher figure that 49 states have seen anti-abortion legislation introduced. What was the beacon 50th state?

In fact, the 50th state was Louisiana, and the only reason it hadn’t been been subject to the tide is that as of Guttmacher’s analysis, its legislative session hadn’t started.

The first day of the Louisiana legislative session is next Monday, April 25th. But one Louisiana representative, John LaBruzzo, isn’t waiting that long. He’s already introduced a bill to ban all abortions in the state of Louisiana.

That’s right, all of them. Women who have abortions and physicians who perform them would be subject to charges of feticide. LaBruzzo is no extremist, though — he plans to amend it to give the woman a break, if only for practicality’s sake: “That will be amended out before it is heard in committee,” he told the Times-Picayune of the clause charging a woman with feticide. “That is a mis-draft; that is not acceptable to me. That would make it too difficult to pass, otherwise.”

Pro-choice groups have said that they aren’t going to challenge some of the spurious “fetal pain” laws in part because they only affect a small number of later abortions; this insane bill, should it ever even make it out of committee, is intentionally set up by an outside group to bait a legal challenge:

Asked how his bill squares with the federal court rulings, LaBruzzo said: “I believe it would be in direct conflict with them … and immediately go to court. That is the goal of the individuals who asked me to put this bill in.”

At least he’s honest? On the other hand, he wouldn’t name the group. Happy 50th state, everyone!

Metairie Legislator Files Bill To Ban All Abortions In State; Wants To Challenge Federal Court Ruling [NOLA]
Earlier: The Roe V. Wade Catch 22