Representative Danny McCormick (R) Oil City
The House Criminal Justice Committee approves legislation that would make abortion a crime in Louisiana. Under Oil City Representative Danny McCormick’s proposal, the mother and those assisting in the termination of a pregnancy can be charged criminally.
“Louisiana law currently fails to provide equal protection for human life, persons are deemed unworthy of legal protection for no other reason that they are not yet born,” said McCormick.
Executive Director of the Foundation to Abolish Abortion Bradley Pierce says medical and scientific research has determined that human life begins at the moment of fertilization.
“Because of this the only consistent position is that from the moment of fertilization we must protect their lives with the same laws that protect our lives,” said Pierce.
New Orleans Attorney Gwyneth O’Neil spoke in opposition. O’Neil called the legislation reckless and bad law. She says the way it’s written in vitro fertilization would be illegal.
“Because freezing an embryo would become a battery, the disposal of an embryo, even if incident would become negligent homicide” said O’Neil.
The proposed law also says any judge that attempts to overrule or void the proposed law shall be subject to impeachment or removal, which opponents of the legislation say is unconstitutional. Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala voted for the bill and admits the bill is probably unconstitutional, but it’s not the legislature’s responsibility to determine constitutionality.
“Questions of constitutionality are left to the courts,” said Bacala.
The House Criminal Justice Committee approved the bill on a 7-to-2 vote. The bill would not require the repeal of Roe V. Wade to trigger. It moves forward to the House floor.
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