In Louisiana, we love babies and their mothers. The Love Life Amendment affirms this love by simply making sure there is no right to abortion or the funding of abortion in our state constitution. Courts in other states, like New York, have decided to protect abortion. We can’t let that happen here!
The Love Life Amendment will be on the Louisiana ballot on Tuesday November 3, 2020, the same day as the Presidential election. The amendment must receive a majority of votes that day to pass!
The Love Life Vote Yes Amendment does two main things.
When voters go into the voting booth on November 3 2020, you will read this on the ballot:
“Do you support an amendment declaring that, to protect human life, a right to abortion and the funding of abortion shall not be found in the Louisiana Constitution?
If the ballot measures succeeds with a majority vote, the following language would be added to the Louisiana Constitution under Article I, Section 20.1:
“To protect human life, nothing in this constitution shall be construed to secure or protect a right to abortion or require the funding of abortion.”
The immediate impact of this amendment is to make sure that Louisiana’s current pro-life laws passed overwhelmingly by our legislators cannot be undermined by state judges.
These laws reflect the will of our citizens and include basic protections such as informed consent, parental consent, ultrasound laws, and laws to protect unborn babies at the 4th month of pregnancy and beyond. In recent years, law firms based in New York representing businesses that sell abortion have petitioned state courts to “discover” a right to abortion in the state constitution. The Love Life Amendment will prevent this from happening.
Unfortunately, the U.S. Supreme Court still forces states to allow abortion. In Louisiana, this means that babies up to the 5th month of pregnancy can be aborted. But the Supreme Court could change its decision in the future (and many state laws are challenging Roe v. Wade). If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns or modifies Roe v. Wade, the Love Life Amendment would protect the right of Louisiana citizens and our legislators to protect babies from abortion.
In the past, the Supreme Courts of 13 various states, including New York, Tennessee, and even Kansas, have “found” a right to abortion and the tax-funding of abortion their state constitutions. Their decisions have resulted in pro-life laws being struck down by judges, reinforcing an abortion-on-demand policy.
We can’t let this happen in Louisiana. We love babies and their mothers, and our pro-life laws reflect the will of our people. The Love Life Amendment keeps the decisions about our pro-life laws in the hands of Louisianians and their elected legislators. It will prevent New York-based law firms representing abortion businesses from getting Louisiana judges to strike down our laws.
No. The Love Life Amendment does not “ban” abortion in Louisiana.
The question of whether abortion is legal or not, and in what cases, depends on federal and state law, not the Louisiana Constitution. The Love Life Amendment will simply ensure that Louisiana judges cannot establish a right to abortion or the tax-funding of abortion in the Louisiana Constitution.
The Love Life Amendment simply ensures that a right to abortion or the funding of abortion cannot be found in the Louisiana Constitution. The passage of the Love Life Amendment will not prohibit abortion. The question of whether abortion is legal or not, and in what cases, depends on federal and state law, not the Louisiana Constitution. Because of this, the Love Life Amendment is silent on issues of “exceptions” such as rape and incest.
We need your help to pass the amendment! Here are a few things you can do:
We are the Louisiana Pro-Life Amendment Coalition, a team of Louisiana citizens and organizations who want to put our love for life at the heart of our state, in our Constitution. We are led by Louisiana Right to Life. State Rep. Katrina Jackson (D-Monroe) and State Sen. Beth Mizell (R-Franklinton) were the lead legislative authors of the law authorizing the 2020 ballot initiative.
