HB 449 Authored by Rep. Rick Edmonds
BATON ROUGE – Louisiana Right to Life is sponsoring the “Adoption Option Act” in the Louisiana Legislature this spring following the release of the adoption documentary I Lived on Parker Avenue.
The short film, which documents the journey of LSU law student David Scotton to meet his birth parents, was produced by Joie De Vivre Media, an arm of Louisiana Right to Life. It was released free online earlier this month following a red carpet premiere hosted by Gov. John Bel Edwards at the Governor’s Mansion.
“I would not be here today if it wasn’t for the gift of adoption,” Scotton said. “I hope the Adoption Option Act can be a lifeline to a birth mother, offering her the chance to bless a family with a baby, just like my birth mother placed me into my parents’ hands.”
The legislation, HB 449, was authored by Rep. Rick Edmonds and would ensure that Louisiana’s Department of Health website contains proactive information for birth parents about the benefits of adoption and guarantee that materials distributed to women in abortion facilities will also contain information on adoption.
“My bill is designed to reach couples facing the trauma and violence of abortion with empowering information on the simple first steps to consider the heroic option of adoption,” Edmonds said. “It fills a hole in the current Woman’s Right to Know law by appointing a task force of experts to help develop public awareness of public and nonprofit adoption agencies in a manner that speaks to the needs of abortion-minded women.”
Dorinda Bordlee, Bioethics Defense Fund legal counsel, consulted on the legislation. “The Adoption Option Act by Rep. Edmonds sets an example for the nation of powerful policy that saves lives,” she added. “Women in unexpected pregnancies have conceived a child in their womb, and they can avoid the trauma of abortion by learning the first steps to help another woman who has conceived that child in her heart through the gift of adoption.”
Benjamin Clapper, executive director of Louisiana Right to Life and executive producer of the film, said:
“Louisiana Right to Life has been an avid supporter of adoption as a crucial alternative to abortion since the 1970’s. As a state, we need to do more to let women considering abortion know about the tremendous opportunities that adoption provides. Currently in our nation, there are only two adoption for every 100 abortions. We hope the Adoption Option Act will change those statistics here in Louisiana.”
The bill is scheduled to be heard in the House Health and Welfare Committee on April.