WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) – The Supreme Court handed abortion-rights advocates a win and dealt a blow to those hoping to chip away at the long-standing Roe V. Wade abortion decision.
It was an unexpected victory for abortion-rights supporters as the increasingly conservative court ruled Louisiana’s tough restrictions on abortion are unconstitutional. It was a 5 to 4 decision, with the critical swing vote coming from Chief Justice John Roberts. He joined the court’s liberal wing to strike down Louisiana’s law, saying it placed undue obstacles before women seeking abortions.
The law was virtually identical to a Texas law the court struck down four years ago. Roberts said while he disagrees with that earlier ruling, he’s compelled to honor it as binding precedent.
The decision was a blow for anti-abortion forces, including Louisiana Senator John Kennedy. He said, “It’s very disappointing to see the Supreme Court add to the misguided legacy of Roe V. Wade.”
Women’s groups said the law would have left, at most, one doctor to serve all of Louisiana.
Planned Parenthood President Alexis McGill Johnson said, “The Supreme Court did send a message — a very clear message — to politicians across the country to stop trying to take away access to legal abortion.”
The case was considered an important test for a bench that now includes two Trump appointees, but resulted in what conservatives consider another surprise loss.
Thursday’s ruling continued what the White House sees as a month of setbacks at the Supreme Court after the justices barred discrimination against LGBTQ workers and rejected the president’s efforts to end protections of children of undocumented immigrants.
More Supreme Court decisions are expected Friday. It’s still unknown whether the court will rule on two important cases before the July recess; the Trump administration’s quest to overturn Obamacare and whether the president’s financial records and tax returns will be made public.
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