The US Supreme Court has struck down a Louisiana abortion law. The ruling came down in a 5-4 decision. Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court’s more liberal members in striking down the law.
The Louisiana Law
The law in question required Louisiana abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of their clinic. If the law had been upheld, Louisiana would have only a single abortion provider in the entire state.
Louisiana’s law is just the latest in a long line of attempts by Republican-controlled states to limit abortions. A similar law passed in Texas was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court four years ago. Chief Justice Roberts cited the precedence of that ruling in siding with the majority today.
John Roberts Role On The Court
Chief Justice John Roberts was appointed by Republican President George W. Bush. In his early years holding the position, he was a reliably conservative voice on the court. However, since the retirement of Anthony Kennedy, Roberts has become a frequent swing vote, sometimes siding with the court’s four liberal-leaning members.
Chief Justice Roberts’ pivot to the center was on display in another recent ruling. While he wasn’t the swing vote, as the ruling was 6-3, he did side with the liberals on the court in the LGBT discrimination case two weeks ago.
For years, followers of the court have stated that Roberts cared about the integrity of the court and the importance of following precedent. Many see his swing to the center as a backlash against President Trump, who many believe has tried to put his finger on the scale too often when it comes to the courts.
What Does This Mean Going Forward?
It is highly doubtful that this is the last we’ve heard of an abortion law on the Supreme Court. What this case does prove is that Chief Justice John Roberts will stick to precedent, even in matters as important as abortion. Any hopes that conservative had of overturning Roe v. Wade have gone up in smoke, at least temporarily.
The anti-abortion movement’s best hope is a new law that doesn’t violate the current precedent. Roberts has shown he is willing to uphold abortion laws as he did in the previously mentioned Texas case. He just won’t do it if it goes against a previous Supreme Court case.
The only other chance conservatives have of severely limiting abortions is to win more seats on the court. That would likely require a vacancy in the next few months, as President Trump’s chances of reelection seem slim at this point.