Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) on Tuesday signed into law a bill (HB 1081) that bans a medically proven method of abortion, the AP/Franklin Daily Journal reports.
The law will take effect Aug. 1 (AP/Franklin Daily Journal, 5/31).
Law details
Under the law, sponsored by state Rep. Mike Johnson (R), the method will be prohibited unless used to prevent a "serious health risk" to the pregnant woman.
A physician who violates the law could face a $1,000 fine per incident, lose his or her medical license and/or receive up to two years in prison. Further, a woman who obtained such an abortion and certain other individuals may seek civil damages from the physician (Women's Health Policy Report, 5/19).
Comments
Abortion-rights supporters have said that by criminalizing a medically proven method of abortion, the ban endangers a woman seeking abortion care (AP/Franklin Daily Journal, 5/31).
Ellie Schilling, an abortion-rights supporter and attorney, said in May that the law likely will be struck down as unconstitutional if challenged in court. Similar bans in other states have been blocked by the courts, including one (SB 95) in Kansas and another (HB 1721) in Oklahoma (Women's Health Policy Report, 5/19).


