New Court Challenge to Multiple Laws Restricting Abortion Access in Louisiana

New Orleans, LA (July 1, 2016) - Lift Louisiana applauds the announcement today that the Center for Reproductive Rights is challenging seven restrictions passed by the Louisiana legislature in the 2016 Regular Session. The lawsuit includes a measure which would triple the state’s mandatory delay for women seeking abortion from 24 to 72 hours and a measure which bans the most common method of second trimester abortion.

Louisiana passed the highest number of measures restricting women’s access to abortion this year of any other state. Reproductive rights advocates testified that these imposed both individually and collectively imposed unnecessary barriers for women seeking abortion and that the laws were likely to face costly court challenges.

The challenge comes after the Supreme Court ruling this week in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, a historic challenge to a Texas law designed to close abortion clinics. The 5-3 ruling affirmed a woman’s constitutional right and ability to make her own decisions about her health, family, and future, no matter where she lives.

“It was clear before the ruling that these laws would impose incredible burdens on women seeking an abortion in Louisiana,” stated Michelle Erenberg, Executive Director, Lift Louisiana. However, the Supreme Court makes it clear that Louisiana’s politicians cannot continue to pile on restrictions that are intended to put roadblocks in the way of a woman accessing her constitutional right to end a pregnancy.”

Mandatory delays like Louisiana’s create a variety of burdens on a woman who needs safe and legal abortion care; from stigmatizing women and abortion providers to forcing women to make additional trips to the clinic, which means additional travel time, transportation costs, child care, and time off work.