Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Louisiana Abortion Clinic Law

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Louisiana's Unsafe Abortion Protection Act. The case, June Medical Services v. Russo, centers on the 2014 Louisiana law that established safety requirements for abortion clinics, including a requirement that abortion doctors have admitting privileges at a local hospital. The law at issue is similar to a Texas law previously struck down by the Supreme Court. Missouri also has a similar law that has been one reason for the closure of all but one abortion facility in the state.

Kat Talalas with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities issued a statement on Wednesday, saying that abortion "not only destroys the lives of unborn children, but often severely harms women's physical, psychological, and spiritual health", and that all states have "a strong interest in regulating a procedure which is lethal to children and immensely damaging to women." The full statement can be found on the USCCB website. 

A decision on the case is expected by the end of June.