Louisiana Senate backs abortion ban, tied to Mississippi law

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A proposal to enact tougher abortion prohibitions in Louisiana, banning the procedure as early as five or six weeks of pregnancy, has won the support of state senators.

The legislation by Sen. John Milkovich, a Keithville Democrat, would ban abortion if a fetal heartbeat is detected.

Senators sent the bill to the House with a 31-5 voteMonday.

But the prohibition only would take effect if a federal appeals court upholds a similar law in Mississippi.

Milkovich says he is trying to protect unborn babies.

Opponents say the ban would eliminate abortion as an option before many women even realize they are pregnant, in violation of the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion.

Several states have enacted similar bans this year.

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Senate Bill 184: www.legis.la.gov