Gov. John Bel Edwards signed a bill passed on to him by the state Senate outlawing abortions starting at 15 weeks after gestation—matching the nation’s second strictest abortion guidelines. The legislation was previously approved by the state House of Representatives.

The law, which opponents say is unconstitutional, was scheduled to take effect only if courts uphold a similar ban in Mississippi that is facing legal opposition. The Louisiana statute would be more punitive for violating doctors, imposing a two-year prison sentence, whereas Mississippi’s law could result in their medical licenses being suspended or revoked. Women who receive abortions would not face charges.