Supreme Court hears La. abortion law case

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments March 4 in a Louisiana case that could restrict access to abortions.

The case, June Medical Services LLC vs Russo, centers around a Louisiana law that requires doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the abortion facility. The measure is almost identical to Texas legislation that the Supreme Court struck down in 2016, deeming it too restrictive, but it’s the first major abortion case the court has heard since the appointments of justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

Defenders of the Louisiana law argued before the court that admitting privileges serve as a basic health screening critical for the protection of women’s health.