BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, February 26, 2016 (LifeSiteNews) – The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals says Louisiana's admitting privileges law can stand even as the Supreme Court prepares to consider a similar law in Texas.
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry had filed an emergency appeal earlier this month after Judge John deGravelles ruled that the law could not be applied as it went through the courts. The appeals court reversed that decision.
Landry praised the most recent decision in a press statement. “Our emergency request for a stay of the lower court's ruling on Act 620 was granted by the Fifth Circuit today,” he said. “I applaud the Fifth Circuit's decision to halt the erroneous ruling and allow Louisiana's pro-life and pro-woman admitting privileges law to go into effect.”
“Act 620 is a reasonable, common-sense safety measure,” added Landry. “Anyone who has outpatient surgery would expect her doctor to admit her to a hospital in the event of complications; women seeking abortions should have the same assurance of prompt care.”
The law overwhelmingly passed both chambers of the state legislature in 2014 and was signed by then-governor Bobby Jindal.
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The abortion group challenging the law, which could shutter almost all of Louisiana's abortion clinics, said it would appeal to the Supreme Court to block application of the law.
“We will immediately seek emergency relief from the Supreme Court so these clinics are able to reopen and continue serving the women of Louisiana,” said Nancy Northup, CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights. “Whether in Louisiana, Texas, or elsewhere, women should not be forced to run to court year after year to protect their fundamental rights. It's time for the U.S. Supreme Court to make it clear that politicians cannot sneak around the Constitution to rob women of their right to safe and legal abortion.”
Texas's law was upheld by the Fifth Circuit, which led to next week's case.
Landry said Wednesday's decision showed that “[t]he Fifth Circuit agreed with Louisiana's argument that the District Court ignored legal precedent and evidence showing this law is a legitimate way of protecting the health and safety of Louisiana women.”
“I will continue to do all I legally can to protect the health and safety of every Louisiana woman,” concluded Landry.
