Louisiana Right to Life is very proud of our state’s pro-life legislative record and our body of pro-life laws. We are grateful that our laws protecting unborn babies from the injustice of abortion are in effect! Even with our success, we still recognize that there is more work to be done until every human life is protected by law.
Use the subtopics to browse Louisiana body of pro-life laws dealing with abortion, assisted suicide, and more. Here are some highlights from our pro-life laws.
Highlights of Louisiana’s Body of Pro-Life Laws
- Legislative Intent: Since 1981, the Louisiana Legislature has declared that the unborn is a human person deserving of legal protection from the moment of conception. The legislature affirmed it will do all it can as permitted by the Supreme Court to regulate abortion and protect the unborn.
- Trigger Law: In 2006, Louisiana became one of the first states to implement a trigger law. Technically known as the Human Life Protection Act, this trigger law makes abortion illegal in Louisiana, except for the life of the mother, when the Roe v Wade is overturned and Supreme Court of the United States allows states to make decisions.
- Partial-Birth Abortion Ban: After the Supreme Court of the U.S. upheld the Federal Partial-Birth Abortion Ban in the decision Gonzalex v Carhart, Louisiana became the first state to stand with the federal government by banning partial-birth abortion from state authority. This allows Louisiana, and not just the federal government, to regulate partial-birth abortion as illegal.
- Women’s Right to Know: Louisiana mandates by law that women must wait 24 hours in between the time they make their first visit to the abortion facility and the actual abortion procedure. In the first visit to the abortion facility, the women must be counseled on the abortion procedure, fetal development, the risks of abortion on their body, and other places who can offer abortion alternatives. They are given a booklet with this information.
- Human Dignity Act: Allows for Advanced Directive and other Will to Live Documents
- Assisted Suicide
