(WASHINGTON,
D.C.) – The U.S. Supreme Court struck down Louisiana’s anti-abortion
law, Act 620, that would have required physicians who perform abortions to have
active admitting privileges at a local hospital, as unconstitutional. The
Court’s ruling affirms the district court’s findings that the undue burden
imposed by Louisiana’s admitting privileges outweighed any legitimate state
interest. Chief Justice Roberts joined as the fifth vote on stare decisis
grounds. The following is a statement from Dariely Rodriguez, director, of the Economic Justice Project at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law:
“Louisiana’s law would have had an especially stark impact on low-income Black women who have long faced systemic and structural barriers to healthcare, including abortion. Today, five Supreme Court justices adhered to precedent and rejected this law as plainly unconstitutional. However, today’s narrow ruling will not stop states from passing laws seeking to restrict abortion access. We will remain vigilant and continue fighting on behalf of communities of color to protect the constitutional right to abortion care.”
Background:
In December of 2019, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, in conjunction with the Leadership Conference and other civil rights organizations, filed an amicus brief before the Supreme Court urging the court to rule in favor of protecting the abortion rights of Louisiana residents.
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