BATON ROUGE, La. — Two bills focused on deterring pregnant women from getting abortions have been overwhelmingly approved by two legislative health committees.
Sen. Sharon Weston Broome said Wednesday that her proposal gives women the opportunity to listen to a fetal heartbeat before an abortion is performed. The measure is based on a similar law passed last year in Texas requiring that doctors conduct a sonogram, describe the fetus and play a fetal heartbeat for pregnant women seeking abortions.
Opponents say the bill overreaches and women seeking abortions have already weighed their options.
Another bill by Senate President John Alario would ban abortion after 20 weeks post-fertilization, excepted in limited medical cases, declaring the fetus can feel pain at that point.
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Senate Bills 593 and 708 can be found at www.legis.la.gov