Louisiana joins the ranks of dystopian states after its House of Representatives passed a bill that would prohibit the termination of a pregnancy once a fetal heartbeat is detected.
According to NBC News, the House tossed an amendment that would have provided an exception for rape and incest.
The governor of the state, John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, has said that he will sign the bill if it passes his desk, breaking party stance.
Edwards released a statement noting that he ran as a “pro-life candidate” after serving as a “pro-life legislator.”
“As I prepare to sign this bill, I call on the overwhelming bipartisan majority of legislators who voted for it to join me in continuing to build a better Louisiana that cares for the least among us and provides more opportunity for everyone,” Edwards said Wednesday evening.
If Edwards does indeed sign the bill, Louisiana will become the fifth state to pass such a law, joining Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio.
