NEW ORLEANS — Women could be charged with murder if they abort their pregnancy under a proposed law that is moving through the Louisiana House. House Bill 813, also called the 'Abolition of Abortion in Louisiana Act of 2022' would redefine a 'person' to include fetuses. If it became law in Louisiana, it would extend homicide laws to fetuses.
"I am here in favor of life," Representative Danny McCormick out of Northwest Louisiana said.
McCormick is the author of HB813 which would redefine "person as including a human being from the moment of fertilization." This would extend homicide laws to the unborn meaning a woman who had an abortion could be charged with murder.
"Both medical and scientific evidence over several decades have provided us with the greater understanding that pregnancy and the stages of a fetus, making it clear the act of abortion ends a life of a human being," McCormick said during the Criminal Justice House Committee session last week.
The bill would disregard the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on Roe v. Wade, regardless of whether it's overturned.
"We cannot wait on the Supreme Court to confirm that innocent babies have a right to life in Louisiana,” McCormick said.
Multiple prominent pro-life groups have come out against the bill, including 'Louisiana Right to Life.' Angie Thomas with the group does not support abortions and is a pro-life supporter, but she doesn't believe women who have abortions should be treated as criminals.
"We have a long standing policy of protecting both mothers and children, we want to love them both," she said.
Louisiana Right to Life wants to instead hold accountable those who perform abortions or sell chemical abortion drugs while informing women of resources.
"Hopefully we can make sure women don't have to choose abortion and that they can be supported," Thomas said.
The House committee approved McCormick's bill 7 to 2. It now heads to the House floor Thursday for debate.
Pro-choice advocate, Representative Mandie Landry of New Orleans, plans to vote against it.
"It's easily one of the scariest pieces of legislation I've ever seen. As a lawyer, it's offensive. It says we should ignore the federal government and impeach judges who don't follow this law, but from a policy perspective and as a woman, I mean its a homicide statute, it throws women in jail," Landry said.
Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams called the bill 'cruel and irresponsible.' He said his office is 'the most serious, violent crimes.'
Williams said in a statement, "I cannot and will not shift the priority from tackling shootings, rapes and carjacking's to investigating the choices women make with regard to their own bodies."
If the bill passes the House Thursday, it will go to the Senate for a vote and then to Governor John Bel Edwards' desk. He historically takes a pro-life stance, but hasn't said whether he would veto this bill or not.