Louisiana Legislative Countdown 4.29.24

As we come to the end of April, we are fast approaching crunch time at the capitol. We will start to see which bills are prioritized to make it through both chambers and which proposals fall to the bottom of the list. The Senate typically holds the controls, especially as efforts to call a constitutional convention move forward. 

If you are feeling discouraged, burnt out, or exhausted, know that you are not alone. But it is critical to stay in the fight over these next few weeks, and we can’t let up. So find your lane and buckle up—we’re in the home stretch

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ICYMI:

Legislation intended to protect IVF providers passed out of committee Monday. Attacks on IVF made national news earlier this year in Alabama when the state supreme court declared that stored embryos are considered “children” under Alabama’s Wrongful Death of a Minor Act. While it came as a shock to many, that dangerous ruling was a direct consequence of personhood language embedded in state codes throughout the country. Personhood laws were first passed in an effort to limit abortion, but as the Alabama decision made clear, they don’t stop there – attacks on abortion cause ripples that harm all manner of reproductive health care, including IVF and even birth control. The bottom line: Personhood is a long-term strategy to take away our reproductive freedom, and all decisions about if, when, and how to become parents should always be left to individuals, not their state legislators. Read more about Louisiana’s IVF bills here.

As the call for a rushed constitutional convention (“con-con”) proceeds to the House floor, there's a growing sense of urgency and uncertainty. Details surrounding the convention's scope, objectives, and potential outcomes remain concerningly unclear. Advocates, legislators, and experts from across movements and interests are uniformly urging caution and deliberation. They're calling on legislators to pump the brakes and thoroughly examine the implications of convening a constitutional convention to completely overhaul the governing document that is supposed to protect our freedoms, all at the behest of an administration with no regard for our health and rights. The stakes are high, information is scarce, and the consequences could be far-reaching and dangerous. We think our friends at the Louisiana Illuminator summed it up best in last week's op-ed by Jan Moller:

"This rushed convention proposal is a grotesque overreach that doesn’t give ordinary citizens nearly enough time, information or input into what is being done in their name."

Keep up with our allies at Power Coalition as they track this ongoing effort.

Credit where credit is due: We’re seeing important pushback from some unlikely champions. Rep. Jack McFarland from North Louisiana, who serves as chairman of the House Budget Committee, recently took to the floor to speak out against the Landry administration’s refusal to accept federal funding to administer the Summer Food Service Program in Louisiana, which provides free, nutritious meals to children who face food insecurity. With the way things are going just shy of five months into this governor’s disastrous term, we hope to see even more of this accountability from unexpected allies!

This Tuesday morning, the House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee will hear Rep. Delisha Boyd’s bill to add rape and incest exceptions to the total abortion ban. For the second time in as many years, we can expect courageous survivors to publicly bear their deeply personal trauma alongside doctors and experts who will detail the horrific impacts of our state’s abortion ban. We will continue to shine a light on the cruelty and hypocrisy of this legislature. As always, you can help by contacting your representative to demand their support for survivors.

Tuesday morning’s hearing will also include Rep. Candace Newell’s HB 56 and HB 63, proposals to clarify treatment for complications and dangerous health conditions in pregnancy. The language in current law severely limits physicians' ability to use their medical judgment to assess patients’ unique situations and provide individualized care for patients experiencing serious pregnancy complications. These restrictions have had a chilling effect, causing providers to delay or even outright deny patients’ treatment that would otherwise be standard and timely, even for those who have preexisting health conditions or receive a severe fetal diagnosis. Read more about the impacts of Louisiana’s abortion ban on time-sensitive and lifesaving health care in Lift’s Criminalized Care report.

This week we have a two-fer! While we may not anticipate a win in committee, it’s still essential that we make our voices heard on the bills seeking to mitigate the harm of our devastating abortion ban and remind lawmakers that we are the majority—and they work for us. To contact your legislator to support Rep. Boyd’s proposed rape and incest exceptions, use this advocacy form.

And to urge your legislator to support Rep. Newell’s bills to clarify and protect treatment for miscarriage and pregnancy complications, use this action alert.