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Legislative Advocacy
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Tuesday, June 14, 2022
Abortion Rights Survive Louisiana Legislative Session, For Now
By Tanya M. Shlosman
Emboldened by the appointments of conservative justices to the Supreme Court, many states continue to pass bills aimed at severely restricting or eliminating abortion access. Louisiana is no exception to this trend and according to The Advocate, the majority Republican legislature failed to pass HB813 by Rep. Danny McCormick that would have jailed women who had abortions and used some forms of birth control. However, women’s reproductive health was further restricted again this session with the passage of Senate Bill 342 sponsored by Senator Katrina Jackson, D-Monroe and Senate Bill 388 by Senator Sharon Hewitt, R-Slidell.
SB 342 by Senator Katrina Jackson will go into effect upon the Governor’s signature and is an extreme ban that criminalizes all abortions from the "moment of fertilization." The bill does not include any exceptions for rape and incest. The bill was amended to ensure it doesn’t make birth control and emergency contraception illegal.
SB 388 by Senator Sharon Hewitt will go into effect August 1, 2022 and criminalizes medication abortion if not prescribed by a Louisiana physician, and when not administered to the patient in person, making it a felony under any other circumstances. The bill was amended to ensure it doesn’t make birth control and emergency contraception illegal.
Louisiana already has a trigger ban that will immediately go into effect if Roe v. Wade is overturned. The law already allows the trigger ban to be enforced against anyone who violates the law through imprisonment, civil fines, and professional disciplinary action. Any day now the decision in the Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization case currently before The Supreme Court could gut or overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.
While both pro and anti-reproductive health advocates continue their fight in legislative houses across the country, abortion is still legal in the state of Louisiana. There are currently three clinics in Louisiana: Delta Clinic in Baton Rouge; Women’s Health Care Center in New Orleans, and Hope Medical in Shreveport. People seeking financial assistance for an abortion in central and south Louisiana can contact the New Orleans Abortion Fund and for patients in north Louisiana, contact the Goldstein Fund.
Sunday, March 20, 2022
So far this session bills have been filed that will limit reproductive choices including abortion and birth control.
There are beneficial bills like providing Emergency Contraception for sexual assault victims, period products in schools and allowing insurance companies to dispense 12 months of birth control at one time!
The usual anti-trans bills are back.
Equal pay for women has been filed again this year.
Raising the minimum wage.
These bills and more can be found on our bill tracker!
We will be sending action alerts letting you know what you can do to support or oppose these bills.
Check back often or follow us on social media @NOWBatonRouge!
Saturday, January 1, 2022
Stay tuned!
Stay Tuned for Updates and Action Alerts for the 2022 Louisiana Legislative Session!
March 14, 2022-June 10, 2022
Saturday, April 13, 2019
Contact your legislators and tell them you support SCR2! We can’t #MakeLa38 without voicing our concern #LaRatifyERA #ERAYes
https://actionnetwork.org/l…/equal-rights-amendment-its-time
https://actionnetwork.org/l…/equal-rights-amendment-its-time
You are invited to join Lift Louisiana for Women on Wednesdays, a bi-weekly advocacy campaign to advance policies for women in Louisiana. Each week, we will host groups of advocates at the State Capitol, to learn about key issues affecting women across our state and the impacts of proposed legislation. Advocates will receive training on how to influence the legislative process and will have the chance to speak directly to their lawmakers.
Women on Wednesdays will be held at the Louisiana State Capitol from 10 am - 5 pm on the following dates: April 10, April 24th, May 8th, May 22nd, and June 5th, 2019.
Travel assistance is available.
Follow us at #WomenOnWednesdays
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
Birthright: A War Story
Join PSN, NOW BR, and Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast for a screening of Birthright: A War Story
This film examines the aggressive campaign to take control of reproductive healthcare and to allow states, courts and religious doctrine to govern whether, when and how women will bear children. Filmmaker Civia Tamarkin explores the fallout that is creating a public health crisis, turning pregnant women into criminals.Tickets are $6.50. Join us a 6pm for pre-show mingling with a cash bar and light fare, the movie begins at 7pm. https://manshiptheatre.secure.force.com.
Friday, June 9, 2017
NOW 2017 List of Legislative Wins and Losses
Wins
Instrument
|
Author
|
Current Status
|
Considered
|
|||||||||||||||
Pending Senate Insurance
|
||||||||||||||||||
INSURANCE/HEALTH: Exempts
Louisiana residents from the assessment of penalties for noncompliance with
the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (EG NO IMPACT See Note)
|
||||||||||||||||||
Sent to Governor
|
||||||||||||||||||
DOMESTIC
ABUSE: Amends the definition of "household member" for purposes
of assistance and protection from domestic abuse
|
||||||||||||||||||
Pending Senate and Governmental
Affairs
|
||||||||||||||||||
CULTURE/REC/TOUR: Provides
for the conservation of public military memorials
|
||||||||||||||||||
Sent to Governor
|
||||||||||||||||||
DOMESTIC
ABUSE: Provides relative to abuse among dating partners (EN SEE
FISC NOTE GF EX See Note)
|
||||||||||||||||||
Sent to Governor
|
||||||||||||||||||
CRIMINAL/VICTIMS: Provides
relative to rights of victims of criminal offenses
|
||||||||||||||||||
Sent to Governor
|
||||||||||||||||||
SEX
OFFENSE/REGISTRY: Provides relative to sex offender registration
and notification
|
||||||||||||||||||
Sent to Governor
|
||||||||||||||||||
CRIME: Provides
relative to the crime of stalking
|
||||||||||||||||||
Sent to Governor
|
||||||
FAMILY
VIOLENCE: Provides relative to temporary restraining orders
|
||||||
Sent to Governor
|
|||||||||||||||||||
CIVIL/DISCOVERY: Provides
relative to the stay of discovery in certain proceedings
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Sent to Governor
|
|||||||||||||||||||
PUBLIC
ASSISTANCE: Eliminates restrictions on eligibility for certain
public assistance for persons with prior drug convictions (RE1 +$25,000 GF EX
See Note)
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Signed by the President
|
|||||||||||||||||||
CRIMINAL/VICTIMS: Directs
the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab and the Louisiana attorney general to
study and make recommendations for the implementation of a tracking system
relative to the status of sexual assault collection kits
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Subject to call - Senate final
passage
|
|||||||||||||||||||
ALCOHOLIC
BEVERAGES: Provides relative to holders to alcoholic retail
dealer's permits for beverages of high and low alcoholic content. (gov sig)
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Pending Senate Health and Welfare
|
|||||||||||||||||||
MEDICAID: Provides
relative to Medicaid recipient work requirements. (8/1/17) (OR SEE FISC NOTE
GF EX)
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Pending Senate and Governmental
Affairs
|
|||||||||||||||||||
HISTORIC
PRESERVATION: Provides for legislative approval prior to the
removal of monuments by local or political subdivisions. (gov sig)
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Losses
Instrument
|
Author
|
Current Status
|
Considered
|
|||||||||
Pending House Labor and
Industrial Relations
|
||||||||||||
PUBLIC
CONTRACTS: Requires that any contractor who enters into a contract
with a public entity comply with the Louisiana Equal Pay for Women Act (OR
INCREASE LF EX See Note)
|
||||||||||||
Pending House Labor and
Industrial Relations
|
||||||||||||
EMPLOYMENT: Prohibits
employer retaliation against an employee who discusses wage information
|
||||||||||||
Sent to Governor
|
||||||||||||
COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES: Provides
for free expression on college campuses
|
||||||||||||
Pending Senate Finance
|
||||||||||||
TAX
EXEMPTIONS: Exempts diapers and feminine hygiene products from
state and local sales and use tax. (See Act) (EG -$13,000,000 GF RV See Note)
|
||||||||||||
Subject to call - Senate final
passage
|
||||||||||
TAX
EXEMPTIONS: Constitutional amendment to exempt diapers and
feminine hygiene products from state sales and use tax. (2/3 - CA13s1(A)) (EG
DECREASE GF RV See Note)
|
||||||||||
Subject to call - Senate final
passage
|
||||||||||
STUDENTS: Authorizes
the state Department of Education and the Louisiana Department of Health to
survey students regarding certain risk behavior associated with chronic
health conditions. (gov sig)
|
||||||||||
Subject to call - Senate final
passage
|
||||||||||
LIABILITY: Provides
relative to civil actions and remedies in matters involving domestic abuse.
(8/1/17)
|
||||||||||
Sent to Governor
|
||||||||||
ABORTION: Requires
proof of identification from parents for an unemancipated minor child to
obtain an abortion based upon parental consent and requires court-ordered
counseling if it is suspected that the minor is a victim of criminal sexual
exploitation. (8/1/17) (RE SEE FISC NOTE LF EX)
|
||||||||||
Sent to Governor
|
||||||
CRIME/PUNISHMENT: Prohibits
cutting, resection, excision, harvesting, or removal of a body part, organ,
or tissue of an aborted unborn child for sale, commerce, transport, research,
or profit. (gov sig)
|
||||||
Pending Senate Finance
|
||||||
EMPLOYMENT: Provides
for an increase in the state minimum wage. (2/3-CAs2.1)(8/1/17) (EG +$195,406
EX See Note)
|
||||||
Subject to call - Senate final
passage
|
||||||||
DISCRIMINATION: Enacts
the Louisiana Employment Non-Discrimination Act. (See Act)
|
||||||||
Subject to call - Senate floor
|
||||||||
CONGRESS: Memorializes
Congress to extend or eliminate the currently expired ratification time limit
on the Equal Rights Amendment.
|
||||||||
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