NEW ORLEANS, La.- Today, a Federal District Court in Alabama struck down a 2013 Alabama admitting privilege law. In addition, a Texas District Court began the hearing of a new challenge on the 2013 Texas law that was previously upheld by a three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in March.  The new Texas challenge, however, is focused on the "ambulatory surgical center" portion of the Texas law that is not included in the Louisiana law.  Both the Alabama and Texas laws contain admitting privilege language similar to HB 388 that is set to go into affect September 1.

After this news, Benjamin Clapper, Executive Director of Louisiana Right to Life, said, "Both the Federal District Court's ruling in Alabama and the new trial at a Federal District Court in Texas have no bearing on the immediate implementation of Louisiana's HB 388, the Unsafe Abortion Protection Act.  HB 388 will go into effect on September 1st.  If the abortion industry files suit against the law because they cannot meet these common-sense standards, we are optimistic the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals will rule, as it did on the Texas law, that admitting privilege requirements are patient-centered protections that promote the continuity of care.  We look forward to HB 388 raising the standard of care at abortion facilities in Louisiana."