NEW ORLEANS, June 12 (Reuters) - Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal will sign new restrictions on abortion clinics into law on Thursday, his office said, a measure critics have said will force three of the state's five clinics to close.
The measure requires physicians who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the place where the abortion is performed. Abortion rights advocates say some providers will not be able to meet that standard.
Supporters in Louisiana and other states that have adopted such laws say they are aimed at protecting women's health.
Oklahoma's governor signed such a measure last month. Similar laws have taken effect in five states: Kansas, North Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. They have been blocked in Alabama, Mississippi and Wisconsin pending the outcome of court challenges.
Abortion rights groups say the provision is unnecessary because abortion complications are rare and tend to be similar to those of a miscarriage, which often are treated by emergency room physicians. (Reporting by Jonathan Kaminsky; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and David Gregorio)
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
