No more murder charge for women in abortion bill

The sponsor of a bill that would have subjected Louisiana women to murder charges for having abortions abruptly pulled the proposal from debate Thursday night after House members voted 65-26 to totally revamp the legislation, eliminating the criminal penalties.

The controversial bill, sponsored by Rep. Danny McCormick, a Republican from Oil City, would have ventured farther against abortion than lawmakers’ efforts in any other state. It would have made women who end their pregnancies subject to criminal homicide prosecutions.

Pending at the time was the amendment by Rep. Alan Seabaugh. His amendment overhauled McCormick’s bill, declaring that women would not face criminal penalties for abortion. It also allowed abortion to save the life of a pregnant woman. And it eliminated language in McCormick’s bill that appeared to make contraceptive drugs and at least some aspects of in vitro fertilization illegal.