15-week Abortion Ban Bill Close To Final Passage

The House passed a 15-week abortion ban bill with amendments on a 78-9 vote, clearing one of the last hurdles before it arrives on the Governor’s desk for his likely approval. The Senate has already approved one version of the legislation. Denham Springs Representative Valerie Hodges says the legislation’s enactment is contingent on the results of a legal challenge to a similar bill in Mississippi.

The bill added an amendment that brings the date considered for conception up to the generally accepted medical standard. Hodges says abortions after 15 weeks are dangerous for mothers.

“This is a very difficult, gruesome procedure that women are subjected to.”

Hodges says the legislation could prevent hundreds of abortions in Louisiana a year.

“There were 461 of these abortions in 2016 and I don’t want to get into it, but we need to ban this.”

The bill heads back to the Senate.