Governor Bobby Jindal is expected to sign a bill presented to him by the Louisiana House that may close at least three of the state's five abortion clinics.
House Bill 388, which was presented to Jindal on Wednesday, requires that abortion doctors have admitting privileges in a hospital less than 30 miles away from the abortion clinic.
To comply with the bill, clinics in Baton Rouge, Metairie and New Orleans are expected to close, and one in Bossier City may be shuttered as well. Only the clinic in Shreveport is confirmed to be in compliance with the proposed law.
Jindal tweeted yesterday that he will sign the bill, which was proposed by Democratic Rep. Rep. Katrina Jackson.
"Looking forward to signing HB 388 by @Repkjackson. This bill will give women the health and safety protections they deserve," Jindal wrote.
New Orleans Abortion Fund board member Bethany Van Kampen decried the legislation.
"Louisiana legislators have allowed ideology to trump medicine," she said in a statement. "This bill does not protect women; it is a back-door abortion ban."
However, Governor Jindal and Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Kathy Kliebert say that the bill will protect women in the case of a severe medical emergency.
Similar legislation was upheld in Texas in March, and resulted in one-third of the state's abortion clinics closing. Other admitting privileges bills have passed in Mississippi, Alabama, and Oklahoma legislatures.
If the bill is signed, Louisiana clinics will have to be in compliance with the law by September 1. Ellie Schilling, a New Orleans lawyer and abortion clinic advisor, stated that most of the five facilities will most likely close.
"Given the political climate the hospitals face, it's unlikely that most of the clinics will be able to comply," she told The Times-Picayune. "The exact number remains to be seen."
