Louisiana lawmakers advance bill classifying abortion as 'crime of murder'

The debate over Roe v Wade has engulfed the United States once again and with reports hinting at a possible overturn of the historic Supreme Court judgement in the coming days, Republicans lawmakers in Louisiana have come up with a bill that seeks to make abortion a ‘crime of murder’.

In the Roe v Wade judgement of 1973, the Supreme Court ruled that the access to abortion is a women’s constitutional right. Later, in 1992, the Planned Parenthood v Casey case guaranteed the right to abortion for any woman till the fetus is ‘viable outside the womb’ of the woman.

However, according to a leaked report accessed by Politico, the Supreme Court is likely to strike down the right to abortion in the United States by overturning the Roe v Wade judgement.

Following the report, Republicans in a number of states have floored bills that launch a clear attack on abortion laws but until the official overturn, none of them can be officially implemented.

The bill, which was brought forward by Danny McCormick in Louisiana, was cleared in the House Appropriations Committee on a 7-2 vote. But McCormick believes that the bill should move forward irrespective of when the Supreme Court decides to overturn the Roe v Wade judgement.

"We can't wait on the Supreme Court," said McCormick according to The Guardian.

The state of Louisiana already has a “trigger law” in place if Roe v Wade is overturned which will mean that doctors who perform abortions can face up to 10 years in prison. However, the new law also includes mothers and anyone helping them to be prosecuted and charged with murder.

The new bill also does not have any exemptions or special cases when it comes to prosecution.

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