Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards signed a bill into law on Thursday that would require women to wait 72 hours before they can get an abortion.
House Bill 386, or the Woman's Enhanced Reflection Act, extends the waiting period from 24 hours to 72 hours, making Louisiana the sixth state to impose the longest waiting period in the country. The waiting period begins after the woman attends a mandatory counseling session with a doctor and receives an ultrasound.
Anti-abortion activists consider the passage of the bill a "victory for women in Louisiana," in hopes that the longer waiting period will encourage women to weigh other options, including adoption.
"This important bill empowers women considering abortion with additional reflection time before an abortion so they can consider their options more effectively," Louisiana Right to Life Legislative Director Deanna Wallace said in a statement regarding the bill. "Since abortion facilities in Louisiana are only in the business of selling abortion, this reflection period allows for further consideration of other choices, including adoption and parenting."
Opponents of the bill, however, contend that the bill worsens the conditions women face in accessing women's reproductive health services.
"We feel that this is overstepping certainly," said Louisiana Coalition Reproductive Freedom spokeswoman Megan Snider told WDSU New Orleans. "We have, in our state, limited facilities as it is so imposing, a 72-hour wait has been shown to actually extend the delay to approximately eight days."
The bill was passed in the state House 89-5 and in the Senate 34-4 earlier this month on May 11 and will take effect starting Aug. 1.
