Governor John Bel Edwards gives COVID briefing January 13, 2022.
Governor John Bel Edwards says he will push the state legislature next year to include an exception for rape and incest to the state’s law that bans most abortions. Edwards made the comments during his monthly radio show.
“I do think there needs to be rape and incest exception added and I’m going to continue to ask the Legislature to do that next year,” said Edwards.
Edwards, a pro-life Democrat, signed a trigger abortion ban bill earlier this year that led to the closure of the state’s three abortion clinics. He says some states have called special sessions to enact abortion bans, but they are including exceptions for rape and incest.
“It’s really this simple for me, should a 13-year-old rape victim, an incest victim be required to carry their step-daddy’s baby to term, I think the answer to that is no,” said Edwards.
It remains to be seen if the mostly conservative Legislature will go along with the governor’s wishes.
“The question is what kind of political pressure they are getting and whether they will actually vote in accordance with what they think is the best thing to do,” said Edwards.
Here’s what Governor Edwards said on the issue during his “Ask the Governor” show.
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