On Nov. 3, 2020, Louisiana voters approved Amendment #1, assuring that
our current pro-life laws are protected and state judges cannot “find” a right to abortion or the funding of abortion in the Louisiana Constitution.
Voters approved the amendment by a 62% favorable margin, and more votes were cast for Amendment #1 than for any other ballot initiative or candidate in Louisiana history.
Download Parish-By-Parish Results
Known as the Love Life Amendment, Amendment #1 keeps abortion out of the state Constitution and makes sure all policy making remains in the hands of duly elected state legislators rather than in the courts. Judges in 13 other states, including Kansas in 2019, found that various pro-life laws unconstitutionally infringed on individual rights, but thanks to the voters of Louisiana, that will not happen here.
Louisiana Right to Life led the push for the amendment’s passage through the Louisiana Pro-Life Amendment Coalition, a team of Louisiana citizens and organizations. State Rep. Katrina Jackson (D-Monroe), now a state Senator, and state Sen. Beth Mizell (R-Franklinton) were authors of the amendment resolution, which was overwhelmingly supported by both chambers of the Louisiana Legislature as well as Gov. John Bel Edwards.
Now what does this mean for our state? Does this mean the fight is over? No, but we are closer than ever to a day when abortion becomes illegal in this state. Let’s take a look at what this means for us.
- The Love Life Amendment Protects our Current Pro-Life Laws!
In Louisiana, we have passed many laws that protect women from the abortion industry and help them be informed about their pregnancies, including common-sense laws such as informed consent and ultrasound laws. The abortion industry and its advocates, who demand an unfettered right to abortion, go to all costs to dismantle these laws, including filing lawsuits in state courts. In 13 other states their lawsuits have resulted in those local state Supreme Courts “finding” a right to abortion in their constitutions, thereby striking down pro-life laws just like ours. Thanks to the Love Life Amendment, the doors of the Louisiana Supreme Court are now closed to the abortion industry.
- The Love Life Amendment Sets the Stage to the End of Abortion in Louisiana!
Sadly, those 13 states mentioned above are not only bound by Roe v. Wade, but now they have a “state-level Roe v. Wade.” So even when Roe v. Wade gets overturned, those states have to contend with another layer of judicial activism. But thanks to the Love Life Amendment, this is not the case in Louisiana. Remember, Louisiana has a law on our books right now that would protect every unborn baby from abortion the day Roe v. Wade is overturned at the U.S. Supreme Court. The Love Life Amendment now protects that law from pro-abortion court attacks. We look forward to the day Roe v. Wade is overturned and Louisiana can once again protect all our citizens, including those waiting to be born!
- The Love Life Amendment Gives Us A Pro-life Mandate!
The overwhelming success of the amendment shows our current and future elected officials that pro-life policies are important to our citizens. They will continue to listen and help to develop pro-life policies and help our state be a place where abortion becomes unthinkable.
