Thursday, March 10, 2016
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SPORTS | Page 3
LIFE | Page 5
Demon baseball makes a comeback
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Volume: 101 Issue: 20
he battle never ends
Fighting La. abortion act
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MEG DENNY
News Editor/Designer
round 10,000 women seek patients regularly. Irvin said that an abortion in Louisiana admittance rates for abortions each year, according to are very low and that most Executive Director of the New complications can be handled in Orleans Abortion Fund (NOAF) a clinic setting. All clinics have Amy Irvin. Act 620 signed by transfer agreements with the former governor Bobby Jindal in hospitals already, but Act 620 June 2014 may affect that number requires a more serious contract. by again threatening the closure Senior social work major of two of four operating abortion Victoria Hebert believes the clinics in the state. state's regulations on abortions Act 620 requires physicians are justified. She described the working at these clinics to gain abortion procedure as dangerous admitting privileges to a local for the mother and child. hospital in order to operate. While “I do not believe that there is two clinics have these privileges, such a thing as a safe abortion," Hope Medical Hebert said. Group for Women "An abortion Life begins at in Shreveport and can lead to Women's Health complications, the moment of Care Center in and there have conception; every life been New Orleans, cases two are unable should be valued and that the baby to acquire them. survives.” respected.” These two in The - Senior Victoria Hebert danger are Delta current state Clinic of Baton regulations on Rouge and Bossier City Clinic. abortion include the following: a Irvin said that physicians run into mandatory face-to-face counseling issues gaining admitting privileges session regulated by the state, a for a number of reasons. Hospitals 24-hour waiting period between may restrict clinics from gaining the counseling session and the access because they do not want to procedure, a ban stating that after come under the scrutiny of groups 20 weeks a woman cannot have against abortion. the procedure, parental consent “When the physicians in New for those under 18 years of age Orleans received admitting and a ban on the public funding of privileges, the protesters were abortion access. outside of the hospital and Hebert takes pride in Louisiana’s had meetings with hospital regulations on abortion and hopes administrators,” Irvin said. that there are more regulations to Additionally, hospitals want come. to give admitting privileges to “Life begins at the moment of physicians who are going to admit conception; every life should be
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Abortion clinic-escort volunteers speak to pro-choice community members at a rally advocating for the end of Act 620, an act that limits abortion clinics in the state by requiring physicians to attain admittance privileges from local hospitals. Photo submitted by New Orleans Abortion Fund clinics to continue operating after valued and respected," Hebert received help. said. "I believe those regulations "There was an outpouring of two months of restriction. Fry was relieved that the Baton are a step in the right direction, but support from the community… it's not enough.” Clinic-escorting volunteers came Rouge clinic was able to proceed Sophomore Maddie Fry, on to help, people offered to take with offering abortion access but the other hand, believes the calls, and some even cooked meals frustrated about Act 620. “A majority of the people who government should have no part in and cookies for the staff working make up the positions of high abortion clinic restrictions. later hours,” Irvin said. “I personally don't think the NOAF and the Louisiana authority in our government are government should even have a Coalition for Reproductive men, and these men vote on rights say in how they operate,” Fry said. Freedom held a rally on March that are sacred to women and On Feb. 24, the U.S. Fifth Circuit 2 at the Fifth Circuit Court. One women alone,” the theatre major Court of Appeals ruled this Act hundred people attended the rally, said. “These laws impact poor women, 620 into effect, and Delta and including clinic escort volunteers, young women, women Bossier City became unable of color—that’s really to perform abortions. Delta These men vote on rights that who is most affected by Clinic could only offer the first mandatory counseling are sacred to women and women these anti-choice bills,” Irvin said. session for pregnant alone.” “What I hope the individuals, and Bossier City - Sophomore Maddie Fry Supreme Court really stopped running completely. takes into consideration When these clinics became are the stories from unable to perform abortions, Women’s Health Care Center and medical students, clinic patients." In the next legislative session, Hope Medical Group for Women administrators and additional which begins March 14 and ends had to increase work hours and community members. procedures. Women seeking On March 4, the Center for June 6, 12 bills requiring heavier abortion access had to drive to Reproductive Rights requested an regulations on abortion access will either New Orleans or Shreveport emergency stay on the act, halting be up for approval, according to to receive it. the bill until the legislative session Irvin. After this, citizens will learn During this time, Irvin said in mid-March. The Supreme Court the fate of Act 620 and the other the New Orleans abortion clinic granted it and allowed the two potential regulatory bills.
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