The 2016 Louisiana Legislative session was a huge success for life, with all bills in Louisiana Right to Life’s Legislative Package approved overwhelmingly by legislators and supported by Gov. John Bel Edwards.
Four bills passed both the House and the Senate unanimously, while Louisiana Right to Life’s signature piece of legislation, the Unborn Child Protection from Dismemberment Act, passed the House unanimously before meeting only slight opposition in the Senate, where it passed 36-2.
Here is a list of key pro-life victories this session:
- Unborn Child Protection from Dismemberment Act (HB 1081 – signed into law on May 26): Ends the practice of dismemberment abortion, a second trimester abortion method where the abortionist uses forceps to seize and tear body parts from a living unborn child.
- Women’s Enhanced Reflection Act (HB 368- signed into law on May 19): Increases the time for reflection between pre-abortion counseling and the actual abortion procedure from 24 hours to 72 hours.
- Defunding Abortion Businesses Act (HB 606- signed into law on June 2): Prohibits entities that perform abortions from receiving public funding for any purpose.
- Compassionate Burial Options Act (HB 618- signed into law on May 11): Requires hospitals to inform parents who suffer the tragedy of miscarriage that they have a right to bury or cremate their child.
- Baby Body Parts Profit Ban (SB 33- signed into law on May 26): Prohibits the sale of human body parts harvested as a result of an elective abortion.
- The Unborn Child Dignity Act (HB 815- awaits the governor’s signature): Requires that abortion facilities bury or cremate the remains of unborn children instead of treating them as medical waste.
- Unborn Child Protection from Disability Discrimination Act (HB 1019- awaits the governor’s signature): Protects unborn children who have been diagnosed with a disability in the womb from abortion simply based on their status as disabled or potentially disabled.
The session was a big success thanks to the hard work of the bills’ authors, members of the House and Senate who expressed their support, and citizens who lobbied their legislators. Louisiana Right to Life also appreciates the legal expertise of our friends at the Bioethics Defense Fund.
Chelsea Garcia is a political writer with a special interest in international relations and social issues. Events surrounding the war in Ukraine and the war in Israel are a major focus for political journalists. But as a former local reporter, she is also interested in national politics.
Chelsea Garcia studied media, communication and political science in Texas, USA, and learned the journalistic trade during an internship at a daily newspaper. In addition to her political writing, she is pursuing a master's degree in multimedia and writing at Texas.
