LA ABORTION LAW - Louisiana’s State Attorney General Jeff Landry announced in a news release on Tuesday that -- Starting Monday, Jan. 28,-- physicians who perform abortions in Louisiana must have permission to use nearby hospitals, called “admitting privileges,”. This comes after a long court battle as last week the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans denied a request to rehear the case on ACT 620 . Sponsored by Rep Katrina Jackson of Monroe, Act 620 was passed by the Louisiana Legislature in 2014, and requires physicians who perform abortions to have
admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of their clinic but for one reason or another some doctors who perform abortions haven’t received admitting privileges. New Orleans attorney Ellie Schilling represents reproductive health care providers and is co-founder of Lift Louisiana, an organization that advocates for reproductive rights in the state. She tells Baton Rouge Public Radio WRKF -- the law will reduce women’s access to abortion in Louisiana.
"If the ruling remains in effect, it will force most if not all those clinics to close," explained Schilling. "Which will mean that women either will not have anywhere at all that they can access abortion."
The three clinics that perform abortions in Louisiana are located in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Shreveport. The law goes into effect Monday barring an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
