Louisiana lawmakers on Wednesday passed a “heartbeat” abortion bill that would effectively ban abortion after six weeks and would not allow exceptions for cases of rape or incest. According to The New York Times, the bill requires women who seek to have an abortion have an ultrasound test to detect embryonic pulsing. If pulsing is detected, abortion would not be permitted unless “necessary to save a woman’s life or to prevent a ‘serious risk’ to her health.” Doctors who perform abortions despite the test, even in cases of rape or incest, could be punished with up to two years in prison. A number of states have passed similar “heartbeat bills,” including Alabama and Missouri, reportedly ramping up for a Supreme Court right over Roe v. Wade.
