House and Senate committees Wednesday advanced bills designed to further restrict abortions in Louisiana.
House and Senate committees Wednesday advanced bills designed to further restrict abortions in Louisiana.
The House Heath & Welfare Committee approved Senate Bill 708, which requires women seeking an abortion to wait 24 hours between examination and procedure - the current required waiting time in two hours - and to see and ultrasound and hear the heartbeat of the fetus unless they specifically object. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Sharon Weston Broome, a Baton Rouge Democrat. The Advocate reports that one opponent of the bill who spoke before the committee characterized it as more hurdles placed between women and constitutional rights to health care. The bill received unanimous approval and moves to the full House for debate.
That House committee's Senate counterpart, meanwhile, gave a 3-2 thumbs-up to SB 593 sponsored by Senate President John Alario. The bill would outlaw abortions after 20 weeks. It moves to the full Senate.
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