Louisiana's Democratic governor expected to sign strict abortion ban

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards.
(Image credit: Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)

The Louisiana state legislature on Wednesday passed a so-called "heartbeat" abortion ban, which Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards has said he will sign.

Under the measure, abortions are illegal after an ultrasound can pick up the electric pulsing of what will become a fetus' heart, which can happen as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. There are no exceptions for cases of rape and incest, and doctors found guilty of performing abortions illegally would face up to two years in prison.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.