Abortion amendment headed to 2020 ballot

The Legislature approves a constitutional amendment that would allow voters on the 2020 Presidential ballot to decide if the state does not protect the right to an abortion. The amendment would not protect that right in cases of rape or incest.

Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell says it’s necessary to prevent a rogue judge from protecting the right to an abortion in Louisiana.

“This puts it into the constitution that Louisiana is pro-life, and it gives it some security against anything jeopardizing it from any direction.”

The law would not take effect unless Roe vs. Wade is overturned.

But New Orleans Senator and chairwoman of the state Democratic Party, Karen Carter Peterson says the legislation demeans women and empowers rapists by not including expectations for rape or incest.

“A majority of not just Louisianans, but Americans, have said that exceptions are what is the line, and anything short of that is egregious and inhumane.”

Mizell and Peterson had a tense argument about rape and incest exceptions while sharing a mic on the Senate floor. Peterson says the law isn’t just without those exceptions, but Mizell says that’s only a fraction of abortion cases…

“PETERSON: Now we’re going to say that you’re going to have a baby of your rapist, and you are going to raise him.

MIZELL: But the nightmare stories aren’t the normal reason that that is taking place. The normal reason that is taking place is because of convenience.”

This comes on the heel of a fetal heartbeat abortion ban that was signed into law by Governor Edwards.