Louisiana Baptists take lead on key pro-life legislation

By Will Hall, Message Editor

BATON ROUGE – While Louisiana’s budget debate dominated headlines across the state during the three legislative sessions in 2016, Louisiana Baptists in the House and Senate gave critical leadership in passing a number of important measures, especially those with a pro-life emphasis.

— Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Dist. 8), a member of FBC Bossier City, authored HB 1081 (Act 264), the Louisiana Unborn Child Protection from Dismemberment Act which ends the brutal practice by  abortionists of tearing body parts from a live, unborn child typically as part of late-term procedures.

— Rep. Rick Edmonds (R-Dist. 66), retired pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Shreveport and former vice president of Louisiana Family Forum, advanced “Jacob’s Law,” or HB 1019 (Act 563), which protects unborn children from being singled out for abortion simply for being diagnosed with a disability such as Down syndrome.

— Sen. Ryan Gatti (R-Dist. 36), also a member of FBC Bossier City, was the originator of SB 33 (Act 196). This measure prohibits the sale or donation of human limbs and organs harvested as a result of an elective abortion, thus banning groups like Planned Parenthood from profiting from baby body parts.

— Rep. Frank Hoffmann (R-Dist. 15), a member of First West Monroe, wrote two key pro-life bills, HB 386 (Act 97) and HB 606 (Act 304). The first increased the time for reflection between pre-abortion counseling and the actual abortion procedure from 24 hours to 72 hours – relieving some of the immediacy of the crisis and allowing women the chance for further reflection on all the options. The other measure ensures state funds used for women’s health go to clinics that provide essential services but do not perform abortions.

Hoffmann also sponsored a resolution that requests the Louisiana Department of Health to study the effectiveness of a new drug that reverses chemical abortions that have not gone to stage two, which involves consumption of a second abortifacient drug usually two days after taking the first.

Eight other pro-life or life affirming measures were passed as well: requiring board certification for abortion providers; providing burial or cremation options to parents who lost a child to miscarriage; mandating burial or cremation for aborted children; giving training and other support to expectant and parenting students; strengthening safe haven provisions; creating a foster care permanence task force; extending the youth aging out of foster care task force; and, providing financial aid and housing for homeless and foster youth.

Here is video link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rM_r7wpizzQ on HB 1109 by Will Hall and his son Jacob.