photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Louisiana, Arkansas and Alabama are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down abortion shield laws that allow providers in states where abortion is legal to prescribe and mail abortion pills to women in states where abortion is banned. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill says Louisiana law is clear — abortion drugs are illegal in the state.
“We will not allow activist states, activist providers or distributors profiting from killing babies to threaten Louisiana’s sovereignty, violate Louisiana’s laws and endanger Louisiana women and Louisiana babies,” Murrill stated.
Shield laws in states including New York, California and Massachusetts protect doctors from prosecution if they prescribe and mail abortion pills to patients in states with abortion restrictions. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin says some doctors are telling patients the drugs are safe, but he claims some women have ended up hospitalized after taking them.
“It doesn’t matter how many times you call it health care or maternal care or whatever; it’s not. You can call a crawfish a shrimp all you want, but it’s still a crawfish,” Griffin said.
Louisiana, Arkansas and Alabama have also filed a federal lawsuit against 30 abortion pill providers, seeking to stop the drugs from being shipped into their states.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall says his state has made abortion illegal, and it should have the authority to enforce that law.
“We need and deserve the opportunity to be able to enforce our laws against those who have chosen, despite their knowledge of the illegality, to continue to foster abortion in our state,” Marshall noted.
The Center for Reproductive Rights says shield laws provide critical protections for patients seeking abortion care. But Murrill argues abortion pills can pose serious risks to women, citing what she says are several examples.
“The most recent one is a North Louisiana case involving a pregnancy that was terminated at 28 weeks using these pills. That is very dangerous,” Murrill said.
Murrill says data from abortion providers indicate roughly 800 abortions are taking place each month in Louisiana as a result of abortion pills.
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