SUPREME COURT BLOCKS LOUISIANA ABORTION CLINIC LAW

WASHINGTON — A divided U.S. Supreme Court blocked Louisiana from requiring abortion doctors to get admitting privileges at a local hospital, giving a reprieve to clinics as the justices consider whether to take up an appeal.

What happened

Over four dissents, the justices Thursday put on hold a federal appeals court decision that upheld the 2014 Louisiana law, which is virtually identical to a Texas measure the Supreme Court struck down in 2016.

The court has become more conservative since then, with Justice Brett Kavanaugh replacing the retired Anthony Kennedy. Kavanaugh joined Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch in saying they would have let the law take effect. Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court’s liberals in the majority, giving no explanation.

Dissenting opinion

In his dissenting opinion, Kavanaugh said doctors could have performed abortions during a 45-day period in which the state would determine who had the necessary privileges.

Kavanaugh said new challenges could have been filed if doctors couldn’t get privileges during that period.

Opponents say the law would leave the state with only one clinic and a single abortion doctor because no one will risk the civil and criminal penalties the measure imposes for noncompliance.

What’s next

The justices could decide this spring whether to add the case, June Medical Services v. Gee, to their calendar.