Louisiana House Passes Harsh Abortion Curbs : Legislation: Doctors could face up to 10 years’ hard labor. Proponents of the bill hope it will be used to overturn Roe vs. Wade.

The Louisiana House of Representatives passed the nation’s harshest state anti-abortion bill Thursday, a measure that would provide up to 10 years’ hard labor for doctors who perform abortions.

The bill was passed on a 74-27 vote and sent to the state Senate.

Its proponents said they hope the U.S. Supreme Court eventually will receive the bill and use it to overturn the court’s 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision legalizing abortion.

The bill, which also provides fines of up to $100,000 against those who perform abortions, would allow abortion only to save the life of the woman.

Earlier Thursday, House legislators twice voted against including exceptions to the law that would have allowed abortions in cases of rape.

Democratic Gov. Buddy Roemer repeated his pledge to veto any bill that does not contain exceptions for victims of rape and incest.

“I think the governor will reconsider if he’s truly pro-life, as he says,” said Rep. Woody Jenkins, the conservative Democrat who sponsored the bill.

Sen. Mike Cross, the Democrat who will handle the bill in the Senate, said he expected it to be passed there, although the Senate version might contain exceptions for rape and incest.

The bill would not penalize women who receive abortions. Jenkins has claimed that abortion is tantamount to abuse against women.

Jenkins focused debate on whether life begins at conception and repeatedly referred to House committee testimony to that effect by Dr. Jerome Lejeune, a French geneticist.

The Louisiana Legislature has a history of enacting tough abortion laws, all of which have been stayed or declared unconstitutional over the last 15 years.

About 100 anti-abortion activists in the gallery applauded the vote, but abortion rights advocates said they would fight the bill.

“What the House has done will awaken a strong majority in this state,” said Robin Rothrock, leader of an abortion rights coalition. “People will come to this Capitol and tell the Legislature to stay out of our business.”

Opponents of the measure said it was an affront to women’s privacy rights and unfair to the poor. Several noted that there are only three women in the Legislature.

“The issue boils down to a matter of the haves and the have-nots. . . . Abortions will still be had by those who are wealthy enough to go to other states,” said Rep. Kip Holden, a Democrat.

Arguments over whether exceptions could be made in cases of rape or incest blurred the lines between opponents and supporters during earlier debate.

Despite being an abortion rights supporter, Democrat C. R. Jones had voted against exceptions to the bill.

“Amend nothing,” said Jones. “You either believe life begins at conception or believe a woman has a right to privacy.”

Jenkins also argued against exceptions, saying they would endanger the state’s legal argument for overturning Roe vs. Wade.

He argued also that women would make false rape reports in order to get abortions.