Louisiana Law Would Ban Abortion from Conception, Punishable as Murder

A new bill proposed in Louisiana would ban abortions in the state at conception, as well as classify them as murder.

On Wednesday, Louisiana's House Committee for the Administration of Criminal Justice passed House Bill 813, which was authored by Republican state Representative Danny McCormick.

The bill, which is being called the "Abolition of Abortion in Louisiana Act of 2022," says that the state should "Fully recognize the human personhood of an unborn child at all stages of development prior to birth from the moment of fertilization."

"Ensure the right to life and equal protection of the laws to all unborn children from the moment of fertilization by protecting them by the same laws protecting other human beings," the bill states.

The bill's proposal comes just a few days after Politico obtained a copy of a draft Supreme Court opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito, that seeks to overturn the 1973 decision made in Roe v. Wade, which classified abortions as a constitutional right.

"We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled," Alito wrote in the draft opinion. "It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives."

Shortly after the draft was leaked, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed its authenticity. Roberts noted that the draft is not final and could be changed in the coming months.

If the Supreme Court decides to overturn Roe v. Wade, each state would have the ability to completely ban abortions. Louisiana is one of the 13 U.S. states that currently has a "trigger law" in place that would allow the state to quickly enforce a ban on abortions if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

The bill authored by McCormick also states that if passed, "any judge of this state who purports to enjoin, stay, overrule, or void" it, "shall be subject to impeachment or removal."

After the bill was passed in the state's House Committee for the Administration of Criminal Justice, McCormick issued a statement on Facebook saying that it was a "HUGE VICTORY."

"The next step is a House Floor vote. This is the FIRST time a bill to END ABORTION, without compromise, has made it this far in the legislative process. Thank you to everyone who has stood in favor of the truth and for what is right," the statement said. "Please continue covering this mission in prayer! We are going after satan's crown jewel, to protect the lives of the innocent, and that is no light duty."

Newsweek reached out to McCormick for comment.

However, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in Louisiana wrote on Twitter that the "bill is blatantly unconstitutional."

If the bill is passed through the state's House and Senate, which are both Republican-led, it will move to Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards' desk for approval. The governor's office declined to make any comments on the proposed legislation, following a request from Newsweek.