The pair of bills are on the desk of Gov. John Bel Edwards (pictured above), a moderate Democrat who has taken a pro-life stance on most abortion bills in the Republican-led legislature.
Sarah Zagorski of Louisiana Right to Life tells AFN one bill bans anyone from using the mail to deliver abortion pills. Those pills are prescribed in for pregnancy termination up to 10 weeks.
“They come in the mail to women who have not had a pregnancy test yet, have had no physician oversight,” she warns, “which of course would be very dangerous, for example, for a woman in an ectopic pregnancy.”
Violators can get five to 10 years in prison and fined up to $75,000. That penalty increases if the pregnant female is a minor.
The second pro-life bill adds criminal penalties to a trigger law that bans abortions in Louisiana if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, a landmark decision that could come soon.
Zagorski says the bill introduced by state Sen. Katrina Jackson addresses that pending decision.
“It ensures consistency between Louisiana civil and criminal law,” she advises. “This bill focused on criminalizing the abortion industry.”
Violators will face one to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
Gov. Edwards has criticized the trigger law for not allowing for rape and incest but has said he supports the bill anyway.
