Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards reportedly signaled he would sign his state’s “heartbeat” legislation — effectively banning abortions after just weeks of pregnancy — as his party faced questions over whether it should be more inclusive of pro-life voices.
“When I ran for governor, I said I was pro-life and so that’s something that’s consistent,” he reportedly said when asked about the bill on Thursday.
The bill, which awaited a vote from the Louisiana House of Representatives, would make the state one of the strictest on abortion access — following a slew of other states that passed restrictions in an apparent attempt to make the Supreme Court reconsider major precedent on the issue.
Pro-life advocates have heralded measures like “heartbeat” legislation while groups like Planned Parenthood have challenged them in a series of legal battles. Louisiana’s bill could face a lawsuit from the same group — the American Civil Liberties Union — that sued Ohio over its own “heartbeat” legislation.
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“My position hasn’t changed. In eight years in the Legislature, I was a pro-life legislator,” Edwards said. Edwards attributed his pro-life stance to his faith but it also appeared to hold personal significance. Nearly three decades ago, he and his wife decided to have his daughter, diagnosed as a baby with spina bifida, against the doctor’s advice to abort. – READ MORE