U.S. Supreme Court to hear arguments on Louisiana abortion law on March 4th

The United States Supreme Court will hear arguments on a Louisiana law that requires doctors performing abortions to have admittance privileges at a hospital within 30 miles.

State Senator Katrina Jackson sponsored the law, Louisiana Act 620. She said this is standard for other medical procedures, and she wanted to ensure abortion was covered as well.

She said the change would ensure a continuity of care for patients, and that it would ensure the competency of the physician.

"It ensures that that physician has, you know, received admitting privileges by the hospital, has been reviewed by the hospital, and has been accepted within the thirty-mile radius," she said.

U.S. Sen. John Kennedy said he supported the law. The senator has introduced legislation that would require abortion providers nationwide to have admitting privileges to a hospital within 15 miles.

"If we're going to have abortion in America, and I wish we wouldn't, but if we are, then we need to make sure that the woman and the child are safe," he said.

Michelle Erenberg is the Executive Director of Lift Louisiana, a non-profit that she said advocates for Louisiana's women.

She said, given the procedure, this law isn't necessary.

"Abortion is one of the safest medical procedures someone could have. The rate of complication is incredibly low," she said.

Erenberg said she thinks the law was designed to close clinics, and she said it would create barriers for people seeking an abortion, specifically those who aren't as well off.

"Trying to eliminate or severely limit the ability of people to access an abortion when that's what they've decided they want or need to do, is really just sort of putting people in a situation that is going to exacerbate all of the vulnerabilities that they already have," she said.

Jackson maintained that, though she is pro-life, the focus of this law is health and safety.

"And when I present legislation to restrict abortion, it is very intentional and very open. This is not one of those laws," Jackson said.

The Supreme Court will hear arguments on March 4th.