WASHINGTON - In a five to four decision today, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Louisiana law that required abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a local hospital in its ruling in June Medical Services v. Russo. Justice Breyer, delivering the opinion of the Court, explained the result in the case was dictated by the Court’s precedent; the Louisiana law was nearly identical to a Texas law that the Court ruled was unconstitutional just four years ago in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt.
Ellie Rushforth, reproductive rights attorney at the ACLU of New Mexico, had the following response:
“We are glad the Supreme Court recognized Louisiana’s abortion law for what it was: a shameful attempt to find an end run around Roe v. Wade and impede access to abortion care, not an effort to protect women’s health and safety. While this ruling is a victory for reproductive rights, we must remain vigilant in the face of mounting attacks aimed at systematically dismantling abortion rights and access across the country. This will not be the last time access to abortion reaches the Supreme Court as anti-abortion extremists continue to assault this fundamental right. To truly protect people’s access to abortion care, Congress must immediately pass legislation that prohibits states from passing unconstitutional laws that push care out of reach and our state must repeal our dangerous and outdated abortion ban. This is especially important for people of color and people living in rural areas who suffer the most from these politically motivated and dangerous restrictions.”
