Three abortion clinics in Louisiana on Friday asked the Supreme Court to temporarily block an appeals court ruling that would force numerous clinics in the state to close their doors.
A federal court this week blocked a previous ruling that declared unconstitutional a 2014 Louisiana law that requires doctors who perform abortions at clinics to have admitting privileges to a nearby hospital. The stay on that ruling issued by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals would force clinics to close while the ruling is appealed, leaving just two clinics operating in the state, according to the Times-Picayune.
The Center for Reproductive Rights, which represents some of the clinics involved in the case, submitted a request for an emergency stay with the Supreme Court on Friday, according to Politico.
“All but two doctors in the state have been forced to stop providing abortions and turn away women with scheduled appointments, and one of those will shortly be forced to cease, absent relief from this Court. Louisiana will then be left with only one physician providing abortions,” the group’s lawyers wrote in the request, according to Politico.