BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — The Louisiana abortion ban was blocked again on Thursday, courtesy of state district judge Donald Johnson.
The reaction to this decision was swift from those who were for and against it.
Joanna Wright, Partner at Boies Schiller Flexner and counsel for plaintiffs released this statement:
“Today’s ruling is critical in ensuring that women in Louisiana continue to have access to comprehensive – and sometimes life-saving – healthcare services. With this decision, Chief Judge Johnson determined that we are likely to succeed on the merits of our lawsuit. We are prepared to prove our case and hope to obtain a final ruling that the trigger bans are unconstitutional and cannot be enforced. In the interim, providers are protected against vindictive prosecution from the state.”
Benjamin Clapper, Executive Director of Louisiana Right to Life, said this about Judge Johnson’s decision, “It is an insult to the citizens of Louisiana and our legislators that Judge Johnson enjoined our pro-life laws protecting babies from abortion. The overwhelming majority of the Shreveport abortion facility’s business is performing elective abortion on healthy babies and moms. Louisiana law has been clear for decades that these abortions should be stopped on the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Louisiana law also been clear that doctors can in accord with reasonable medical practices help women facing medical emergencies.”
Jenny Ma, Senior Staff Attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights said that “Today’s decision will allow so many people in Louisiana and neighboring states to continue to chart their own lives and futures. Patients have been terrified that any day these bans might take effect again and they’ll be left with no options. But this ruling means doctors can provide healthcare that is best for their patients, and not be subject to laws that are so ambiguous that they don’t know how they can do their jobs. While today’s decision is not the final ruling, it is a huge victory in preserving access to essential healthcare in Louisiana and for those in the region.”
A copy of the decision can be found here.