A Louisiana lawmaker says he wants to avoid the scenario that unfolded last year in Alabama, where clinics offering in vitro fertilization closed their doors rather than risk legal liability based on a new interpretation of a 19th century law.
The matter has pitted some conservative Republicans, who normally take the same side on reproductive health issues, against one another. It also provides a glimpse into the national debate over IVF, which proponents fear could be threatened under Trump administration policy.
Sen. Thomas Pressly, R-Shreveport, received committee approval Tuesday for Senate Bill 156, which he said “is essential for IVF to continue in Louisiana.” But the proposal’s language had to be massaged to get the backing of one staunch anti-abortion lawmaker. Even then, the measure is still opposed by the state’s top two anti-abortion groups.
Senate Health and Welfare Committee member Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge, stood firm on making a change to the definition of embryo in Pressly’s proposal. As a state representative, he authored a 2016 law to prohibit abortions for genetic abnormalities.
Originally, Pressly’s bill referred to an “in vitro fertilized human embryo” as one that “has certain rights granted by law … and organized that it may develop in utero into an unborn child.” Edmonds amended the proposal to define an embryo as “biologically human,” removing any reference to whether it actually develops into a child.
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These seemingly subtle differences in language could become critical if its final version creates a situation similar to what happened last year in Alabama. Its state Supreme Court ruled in February that frozen embryos outside the womb are considered children under the law, citing an 1872 statute that allows lawsuits for the wrongful death of a child. Fearing potential legal consequences from embryos that become nonviable – even through no fault of their own – IVF clinics in Alabama shut down.
The Alabama Legislature then scrambled to approve civil and criminal protections for IVF providers, leading clinics to reopen. There remain concerns, however, over whether long-term access will remain available.
The Trump administration’s cuts to federal health care programs have served to reinforce such worries about the future of IVF. Staff reductions at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will curtail research into IVF and other fertility treatments, experts say.
The changes have unfolded rapidly, even though Trump referred to himself as the “fertilization president” after signing an executive order last month to expand fertility treatment access. A separate order from Trump in February sought policy direction on IVF, yet Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency went ahead with the CDC attrition plans.
Sen. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge. (Allison Allsop/Louisiana Illuminator)
Anti-abortion groups back status quo
Louisiana Right to Life and Louisiana Family Forum oppose Pressly’s bill. Both groups were at the forefront of creating one of the nation’s strictest abortion bans three years ago after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade. The landmark 1973 opinion declared women have a constitutional right to an abortion, but it also said states could regulate when the procedure is allowed. With the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision in June 2022, justices removed the federal right to an abortion and opened doors to outright state bans.
During Tuesday’s committee hearing, Pressly insisted his proposal was essential to ensure IVF remains available to 1 in 6 families that struggle with infertility, citing numbers the World Health Organization has used. It has been nearly 40 years since Louisiana has updated its IVF statute, and health technology improvements in the interim need to be reflected in the law, the senator said.
Kathleen Benfield, legislative director with Louisiana Family Forum, told the committee the Pressly proposal is unnecessary because the state’s IVF law has never been challenged.
“Not one example has been given where the practice of in vitro fertilization or any other artificial reproduction technology has been threatened (in Louisiana), and I don’t think it will be threatened,” Benfield said.
Even with Edmonds’ amendment, the bill’s language was still problematic for Benfield. She took issue with describing a “viable in vitro fertilized embryo” as a “juridical person,” or an entity that has the same rights in law as a person but is not a human being.
Put another way, Pressly’s bill doesn’t go nearly far enough to treat embryos as children, according to Benfield. A juridical person is “not the same thing as a natural person,” she said.
Last year, anti-abortion forces pushed to change to an IVF protection bill Rep. Paula Davis, R-Baton Rouge, sponsored. She shelved her bill when rather than include the term “biological human beings” in it, fearing it could lead to criminal consequences for reproductive care providers.
Davis has authored another version of her bill this year, but it has yet to be scheduled for a House committee hearing in the lawmaking session that ends June 12.
Erica Inzina, policy director for Louisiana Right to Life, said the state’s current IVF law has room for improvement, but it still offers the most protection for human embryos of any state. Pressly’s bill would weaken those safeguards, she said.
“It leaves the embryo looking a lot more like a thing rather than a person,” Inzina told the committee.
‘We’re quibbling’
The proposed changes are the product of a rather unusual partnership: Pressly, who gained approval for a first-of-its-kind abortion drug restriction; and Katie Bliss, an attorney whose firm specializes in in vitro fertilization contracts.
Pressly, who joined the Senate last year after four years as a state representative, authored a law in 2024 that treats mifepristone and misoprostol as Schedule IV controlled dangerous substances. Both medications are used in abortions but have other applications, including lifesaving ones. The Schedule IV status puts them on par with drugs that have addiction and abuse potential, meaning hospitals have to keep them under lock and key.
Some health care providers have said the added layers of security for controlled dangerous substances put women’s lives at risk when, for example, misoprostol is needed immediately to stop postpartum hemorrhaging.
Bliss has two children conceived through IVF. She said the revisions to existing law are needed to protect patients and physicians while also ensuring care for embryos.
Louisiana is the only state that’s made the destruction of embryos illegal, and conservative lawmakers have tried unsuccessfully in the past to stop patients from shipping embryos out of state for disposal. Such measures are unconstitutional, Bliss said, because one state can’t tell another state how to conduct business.
Sen. Alan Seabaugh, R-Shreveport, attempted last year to end embryo transports across state lines, but the amendment he tried to attach to another lawmaker’s bill was ruled irrelevant to the original proposal and therefore was not allowed.
Pressly said his bill covers this scenario because it would make any IVF contract null and void if it includes a provision for the intentional destruction of an embryo.
Edmonds also objected to the removal of the terms “married couple” and “parental” from a section of existing IVF law that deals with embryo donations. Instead, “person” is used to describe an embryo donor and recipient.
Pressly told Edmonds keeping “couple” in the law could create constitutional issues, implying it conveys bias against single people who want to start a family through IVF.
“It would be hypocritical for me to vote for a bill that would eliminate parental rights,” Edmonds said, though Pressly assured him his proposal doesn’t pose that threat.
Sen. Beth Mizell, R-Franklinton, shared with other committee members that she personally had a “horrible history of miscarriages” and feared her children would have the same difficulty. Through IVF, her son and daughter-in-law have given her three of her eight grandchildren.
Mizell said she had “a hard time finding obstacles” in a bill that gives more people the opportunity to start and grow families.
“I’m listening to pro-life people argue with pro-life people,” Mizell said, who then recounted efforts during her nine years in the Senate to put strict abortion laws in place. As a result, she said Louisiana has the strongest anti-abortion laws in the nation.
“… We’re there and we’re quibbling” over language to protect IVF, she said.
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Louisiana Illuminator is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Louisiana Illuminator maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Greg LaRose for questions: info@lailluminator.com.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Right
The content predominantly discusses legislative efforts in Louisiana related to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and the complex intersection of reproductive health and anti-abortion policies. The article highlights the tension between conservative lawmakers, such as Senator Thomas Pressly, and anti-abortion groups over the language used in IVF legislation. While the piece references concerns about the potential impact of federal policies under the Trump administration, including cuts to healthcare programs, it largely focuses on the state-level political dynamics and the challenges faced by reproductive healthcare providers.
The framing reflects a more conservative stance on abortion, referencing prominent anti-abortion groups and their opposition to some aspects of the proposed bill. This, combined with a detailed explanation of conservative lawmakers’ actions, positions the article as leaning Center-Right, with a specific emphasis on the protection of embryos and opposition to policies that might weaken these protections. The inclusion of Trump administration policies also highlights a broader conservative political context.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Louisiana Surgeon General Ralph Abraham – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-30 17:37:00
The Make America Healthy Again movement has gained significant attention throughout the nation and many of the top initiatives highlighted have found their way into state legislatures this session.
Louisiana is no exception and Senator Patrick McMath, R-Covington, has, via Senate Bill 14, proposed a significant cleanup of our food supply, especially focused on kids. Backed by the popular support of the MAHA Moms, this bill has three major parts that are worth examining separately for their merits.
First is a ban of several “ultra processed” foods in school meals. In this case the term ultra processed is defined as products that contain any one of 13 specifically referenced compounds. Of these the first 7 are artificial dyes, like red dye No. 40, derived from petroleum byproducts that serve a singular role to make food more visually appealing.
We should all be asking ourselves why we ever allowed this stuff to find its way into our food in the first place. Several of these synthetic dyes have been shown to be associated with various harms ranging from ADHD to allergies and tumors.
Most of the other compounds on the list sound like they should have a skull and cross bones on the label. Take the bread additive azodicarbonamide as an example. If you thought that sounded like something you should not eat, you would be right.
It breaks down into urethane (yes, like the paint), a known carcinogen, and is banned is just about every country but the U.S.
In the case of school lunches, the child has no choice in the matter. They eat what they are provided and we have an obligation to protect them from toxic substances in the cafeteria.
Second is a labeling requirement for foods containing the substances in the school lunch ban portion, plus a few more, known to have a questionable safety profile that are banned in other countries.
It directs manufacturers to place a label on any food or drink containing these chemicals that clearly alerts the consumer of the fact that it contains something that is banned in other countries.
Last, but certainly not least, is a provision to reform of the Supplemental Nutritional Aid Program, once known as food stamps. This program is federally sponsored, and provides food assistance to families with an income below 130% of the federal poverty line. This would be about $31,200 net yearly income for a family of four.
In our inflationary economic environment, every penny counts and when it comes to food and obtaining the maximum calories for minimum dollars is a necessity. Historically, the cheapest foods happen to also be the least healthy in many cases, condemning those dependent on the program to poor health.
Soft drinks containing very high sugar or sugar substitutes are a major contributor to the chronic diseases that plague our health system like obesity and diabetes, especially in children. This bill directs DCFS to seek a waiver from the federal government allowing Louisiana to prohibit use of SNAP to purchase soft drinks.
Ultimately, the federal government should go a step further and incentivize healthier alternatives for SNAP beneficiaries, but this bill represents a major step in the right direction that can be accomplished at the state level.
The old saying goes: “You are what you eat.” We should keep this literal and obvious truth in mind when we think about how to turn the tide on chronic disease in our nation.
Let us begin by protecting the children who are too young to choose for themselves and providing better information for adults who can. SB 14 will accomplish both goals and move Louisiana to the forefront of the movement to Make America Healthy Again.
Dr. Ralph L. Abraham, M.D. is the Louisiana Surgeon General
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Left
The article presents a clear ideological stance that aligns with health-conscious, regulatory-focused policy perspectives often associated with center-left viewpoints. It advocates for government intervention to regulate food safety, particularly in school meals and assistance programs like SNAP, emphasizing protection of public health and vulnerable populations such as children and low-income families. The tone is supportive of regulations to restrict harmful substances and promote healthier choices, which suggests a bias favoring increased oversight and reform in food policies rather than a neutral, detached report.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Nolan McKendry | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-30 13:50:00
(The Center Square) − A proposed constitutional amendment would give Louisiana lawmakers new authority to remove jobs from the state’s protected civil service system, while also shortening terms and tightening limits for members of the State Civil Service Commission.
Under the current system, most rank-and-file state employees — like social workers at the Department of Children and Family Services or accountants at the Department of Transportation — are considered as part of the classified civil service.
These employees are hired based on merit, often through competitive exams, and enjoy job protections that shield them from political interference or arbitrary firing.
Others, such as agency heads, the governor’s staff or university presidents, are considered unclassified — appointed positions that serve at the pleasure of elected officials.
Currently, the state employs 37,000 full time classified employees and nearly 25,000 full time unclassified employees. State Civil Service has governing authority over classified employees only.
State agencies are required to submit annual performance evaluations to the Director of State Civil Service. From 2019 to 2024, the number of employees classified as unsuccessful grew from 1.09% to 1.26%. At the same time, employees deemed exceptional also grew from 13.65% to 14.78%, according to the State Civil Service’sannual report.
“Today, we need a system based more on merit,” Sen. Jay Morris, R-Grant, told the Senate & Governmental Affairs committee, adding that law currently “prioritizes seniority over performance, endless appeals and often court actions.”
A similar sentiment is shared at the federal level. Just last week, the Office of Personnel Management proposeda ruleto strengthen employee accountability, while addressing long-standing performance management issues in the federal workforce.
That proposed rule cites chapter 43 and 75 of U.S. civil service law, which govern how agencies handle poor performance and misconduct, are described as cumbersome and slow-moving — often ending in lengthy appeals with uncertain outcomes.
According to the rule, surveys suggest many supervisors lack confidence in their ability to remove employees for serious infractions, a dynamic critics say erodes the federal merit system’s commitment to high performance and accountability.
Morris’ amendment would allow the Legislature to remove positions from the classified service by law, potentially instituting a shorter leash for those employees.
The measure would also shorten the term of Civil Service Commission members — from staggered six-year terms to four years — and limit service to two full terms, eliminating an exception that allowed long-serving members to stay on.
The bill was not without opposition.
Though Berry Erwin, President and CEO of Council for a Better Louisiana, supports a more efficient civil service, “we’re also mindful of Louisiana’s history with political patronage — it’s been part of our past, part of our DNA. We recognize we’re no longer in that era, and times have certainly changed. But when we talk about reforming civil service, we think it’s important to strike a balance.”
Dr. Douglas Bordelon, an employee at the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, argued the bill threatens to replace objective public service with politically influenced employment practices, and he dismissed claims that converting jobs to unclassified status would lead to better pay.
“The solution to addressing this disparity is to ensure adequate funding of our positions, rather than converting us to unclassified civil servants,” Bordelon said.
Bordelon cautioned that the sweeping changes proposed in the bill could harm morale and make it harder for the state to attract and retain qualified employees.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Right
The article primarily reports on a legislative proposal in Louisiana regarding changes to the state’s civil service system, presenting viewpoints from both supporters and opponents of the amendment. While it maintains a largely factual tone, the inclusion of supportive statements from a Republican senator and references to similar federal initiatives to enhance worker accountability suggest a center-right leaning. However, it also fairly presents concerns from civil service advocates who warn against politicization and morale issues, which balances the coverage. Overall, the framing of the article leans moderately towards advocating for accountability and reform, typical of center-right perspectives on government efficiency, without overt ideological language or partisan bias. It is not purely neutral reporting, but rather subtly inclined towards a center-right stance.
SUMMARY: Isolated severe storms are possible this afternoon with a 30% chance of rain, primarily between 3 and 10 p.m. Storms could bring gusty winds and hail. While the highest risk is near Dallas Fort Worth, the threat is rated at a level 1 on a scale of 1 to 5. Tomorrow morning may bring light showers, with a stray storm possible in the afternoon. A weak frontal boundary will increase rain chances Friday, potentially affecting local events like the fiesta. Temperatures will reach around 90 today, dropping to the low 80s by Sunday, with more rain expected next week.
Better odds for rain arrive Friday evening and Friday night.
