Supreme Court blocks Louisiana abortion clinic law

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court is stopping Louisiana from enforcing new regulations on abortion clinics in a test of the conservative court’s views on abortion rights.

The justices say by a 5-4 vote that they will not allow the state to put into effect a law that requires abortion providers to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals.

Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court’s four liberals in putting a hold on the law, pending a full review of the case.

The four more conservative justices, including Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, would have allowed it to take effect. Kavanaugh wrote a dissent explaining his vote.

The law is very similar to a Texas measure the justices struck down three years ago. Roberts dissented in that case.