Louisiana rejects rape, incest abortion exceptions for pregnant children, keeps strict ban
Louisiana lawmakers Tuesday closed the door on rape and incest abortion exceptions for pregnant children for at least another year and also rejected efforts to add protections for doctors from prosecution and clarifications for medically futile pregnancies.
The House Criminal Justice Committee voted 7-4 to kill Democratic Rep. Delisha Boyd's House Bill 164 to allow girls younger than 17 to have abortions if they were raped or suffered the crime of incest.
That locks down Louisiana's strict abortion ban for at least another year, with the only legal exceptions being saving the life of the mother or when the pregnancy isn't viable.
The same lawmakers also earlier stopped a bill that would have allowed voters to consider an amendment to the Louisiana Constitution to legalize abortion.
Boyd's mother was a 15-year-old victim of rape and died before she was 30 because the trauma "led her to drugs and self-medication." Boyd testified she is aware of girls 13 and younger who have been raped and become pregnant.
"We have to do more to protect our children," Boyd said over two separate hearings on her bill during the past two weeks. "Most likely they were raped or assaulted by someone they know. We want that baby to carry a baby to term?"
Those who opposed Boyd's bill condemned the crimes and rapists but said the resulting pregnancies should be carried to term no matter the age of the girls.
"I'd like to have the death penalty for the men, but we can't kill an innocent child," said Republican Haughton Rep. Dodie Horton.
In Louisiana, abortion is illegal in both state law and in the state Constitution.
Ahead of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade in 2020, voters approved an amendment to the Louisiana Constitution that said no provision within it protects the right to abortion or public funding for abortion.
More: Shreveport native's horrifying abortion story prompts bill from brother Senator Pressly
Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Louisiana rejects rape, incest abortion exceptions for pregnant children
