Supreme Court temporarily blocks Louisiana abortion law

The Supreme Court delayed implementation of a Louisiana abortion law late Friday night, putting the legislation on hold until Thursday.

An order from Justice Samuel Alito said the court needs more time to review the case concerning the Unsafe Abortion Protection Act, which requires abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of their facilities. The delay "does not reflect any view regarding the merits" of the case, Alito noted.

Supporters say the law, which was enacted in 2014, is an important safety measure to ensure a high caliber of care. Critics argue it is an attempt to limit abortion access in the state, claiming only a single physician in Louisiana meets the act's requirements.

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The Unsafe Abortion Protection Act was struck down by a U.S. district court in 2017 on the grounds that it would shutter too many abortion providers in Louisiana. But that ruling was reversed by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which found the law would not "impose a substantial burden on a large fraction of women" because Louisiana has relatively lax rules for granting admitting privileges and many abortion providers simply have not applied.