Louisiana

New lawsuit challenges Louisiana's classification of abortion pills as 'controlled substances'

Published

1 year ago

November 1, 2024

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New lawsuit challenges Louisiana's classification of abortion pills as 'controlled substances'

The Summary

A new lawsuit challenges Louisiana’s classification of abortion medications as controlled dangerous substances.
The suit alleges that the law creates barriers for health care workers who need to administer the pills — which have other uses besides abortions — quickly in an emergency.
Louisiana bans most abortions, with limited exceptions.

A group of Louisiana health care providers and reproductive rights advocates are suing the state over a new law that classifies abortion pills as controlled dangerous substances.

The law went into effect a month ago and puts mifepristone and misoprostol — the two pills involved in a medication abortion — on Louisiana’s list of “Schedule IV” drugs. The category also includes certain stimulants, sedatives and opioids.

It’s the first time a state has classified abortion pills as controlled substances.

In Louisiana, abortion is largely banned, so the law has not had a major impact on abortion access. However, abortions are allowed in some exceptional circumstances, and doctors often prescribe mifepristone and misoprostol off-label to manage a miscarriage. Misoprostol on its own is approved, as well, to prevent stomach ulcers.

In Louisiana, classifying the medications as Schedule IV drugs means that doctors must have a special license to prescribe them and hospitals are required to store the pills in a secure location, according to Allison Zimmer, an attorney representing the plaintiffs. Anyone who possesses the medications without a prescription could face a fine of up to $5,000 and up to five years in jail. (The law includes a broad exception, however, for pregnant women who possess the medications for their own consumption.)

The new lawsuit, filed Thursday, alleges that the law could create barriers for health care workers who need to administer mifepristone and misoprostol quickly in an emergency, thereby delaying patients’ access to the pills and creating a risk of harm. The complaint also says the law discriminates against people who need the medications, since patients with similarly severe medical needs aren’t subject to the same delays if they need other drugs. It seeks to prevent the law from being enforced.

“What it will do is just make it more dangerous to be pregnant or to have a variety of physical conditions,” Zimmer said.

The plaintiffs include a doctor, pharmacist, two reproductive rights advocates and the Birthmark Doula Collective — a doula practice that advocates for pregnant people in Louisiana. It names the state, the attorney general, the board of pharmacy and the board of medical examiners as defendants.

“The law is supposed to prevent misuse of the medications, but the real aim is to make abortion harder to access,” said Nancy Davis, one of the two advocates who brought the suit.

According to the American College of Medical Toxicology, mifepristone and misoprostol do not meet the definition of a controlled substance. The association warned in September that labeling the pills as such was “not consistent with decades of scientific evidence” and set a dangerous precedent of “politicizing pharmaceutical regulation.”

But Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill maintained support for the law on Friday.

“I’m confident this law is constitutional. We will vigorously defend it,” Murrill said in a statement.

In Louisiana, abortions are allowed only in cases where a fetus is not expected to survive, or if ending a pregnancy could save a pregnant person’s life or prevent serious risk to their health.

Zimmer said the new classification for abortion pills is “an example of the state trying to demonstrate as much as possible that it is an anti-abortion state.”

The law came about as a response to a particular case in Texas involving Louisiana Sen. Thomas Pressly’s sister Catherine Herring, whose husband was accused of slipping abortion pills into her drinks. The baby survived, and Herring’s husband pleaded guilty to charges of injury to a child and assault of a pregnant person. The Louisiana law established a crime known as “coerced abortion” — intentionally giving a pregnant woman abortion pills without her knowledge or consent.

“Ms. Herring’s courageous testimony illustrated that easy access to these drugs can be dangerous to pregnant women and exposes women to the risks of coercion, abuse, and criminal behavior,” Murrill said in a statement.

When Pressly originally introduced the bill, it did not include a classification of abortion pills as controlled substances — that was added later as an amendment, which Pressly said at the time was another step “to control the rampant illegal distribution of abortion-inducing drugs that ended up hurting my sister.”

But the new lawsuit alleges that the amendment isn’t clearly connected to the original bill and suggests that the law should be struck down altogether. Zimmer said the amendment was added “very, very late in the legislative process, at such a late date that there wasn’t a public hearing.”

The lawsuit says that Davis and another plaintiff in the suit, Kaitlyn Joshua, did not get an opportunity to testify in front of lawmakers before the law passed.

Joshua, a 32-year-old Baton Rouge resident, said she was turned away from two emergency rooms in 2022 after she started miscarrying at around 11 weeks. She worries that the policy could lead more women in Louisiana — particularly Black women — to be denied care like she was.

“This current law I know is going to disproportionately affect women that look like me, that already live in maternal health care deserts,” Joshua said.

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Louisiana

Louisiana House advances prison-reimbursement rates, drunk driving bills

Published

4 hours ago

April 8, 2026

Press Room

Louisiana House advances prison-reimbursement rates, drunk driving bills

Sheridan White
| LSU Manship School News Service

A Louisiana bill to increase the daily reimbursement rate for housing state inmates advanced with bipartisan support.
The proposed rate would increase from $26.39 to $29.39 per day, starting in the 2027-28 fiscal year.
Lawmakers acknowledge the proposed increase is a step forward but still does not cover the full costs for local facilities.
A separate bill also advanced, seeking to impose stricter penalties for repeat DWI offenders.

BATON ROUGE — A bill to raise the daily reimbursement rate for housing state inmates advanced with broad bipartisan support Tuesday, as Louisiana lawmakers seek to ease financial pressure on local correctional facilities while acknowledging the increase still falls short of covering true costs.

The House Appropriations Committee also advanced House Bill 82 by Rep. Debbie Villio, R-Kenner, which seeks to impose stricter penalties on individuals convicted of a third or fourth offense for impaired driving.

Penalties include increasing mandatory minimum sentences and raising fines. A person guilty of a third DWI would spend at least five years in prison, while a fourth offense would result in 12 years with no parole or probation.

House Bill 143, the prison-reimbursement bill authored by Rep. Tony Bacala, R-Prairieville, focuses on increasing the per diem rate paid to local correctional facilities that house state inmates. The bill would increase the rate from $26.39 to $29.39 beginning in Fiscal Year 2027-28 and each year after.

The prison-reimbursement bill moved forward with no opposition, signaling widespread agreement among lawmakers that adjustments are overdue.

The bill carries a fiscal note of approximately $17 million, but Bacala said this would not be entirely new spending. He described the measure as a way to align existing appropriations with statutory requirements, noting that the increase has effectively already been budgeted for Fiscal Year 2026-27.

The discussion around HB 143 centers on the growing role of local correctional facilities, often overseen by parish sheriffs. These facilities have expanded services for inmates in recent years, offering programs such as GED education, technical training and work-release opportunities that allow certain inmates to transition back into the workforce.

Despite these enhancements, reimbursement rates from the state have not kept pace with the rising costs and expanded responsibilities.

Bacala acknowledged that the proposed increase still does not fully meet the needs of local facilities.

“This bill doesn’t even pay them a fair rate. It just pays them a more fair rate,” he said, highlighting that lawmakers see the measure as a step in the right direction rather than a final solution.

Rep. Alonzo Knox, D-New Orleans, voiced support for the proposal, calling it “more than fair,” while also suggesting that additional increases may be considered in the future as budget conditions allow.

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Louisiana

Police identify dirt Bike rider killed while allegedly fleeing from police during traffic stop

Published

16 hours ago

April 7, 2026

Press Room

The Louisiana State Police have identified the dirt bike rider who was involved in a deadly crash while evading police on Canal Boulevard.Landon Smith, 24, of Winnfield, was killed in the crash. Police say the crash happened around 5 p.m. on Canal Boulevard at City Park Avenue. Preliminary investigation revealed that New Orleans police were attempting to conduct a traffic stop on Canal Street in the French Quarter involving a dirt bike, driven by Smith. Police say Smith was driving recklessly and refused to stop, and continued to flee from police. Troop NOLA was made aware of the attempted traffic stop, and minutes later, they say Smith was traveling at a high rate of speed on Orleans Avenue while driving the wrong way into oncoming traffic. Troopers attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but Smith continued to evade police.Both NOPD and the troopers lost sight of the dirt bike. Troopers eventually located a crash involving the dirt bike and a truck at the intersection of City Park Avenue and Canal Boulevard.Law enforcement rendered aid to Smith, and he was transported to a local hospital, where he later died. According to state police, Smith was traveling west on City Park Avenue at a high rate of speed on the right shoulder, while passing westbound traffic stopped at a red light. As he approached the intersection of Canal Boulevard and disregarded the red light and continued straight through the intersection, hitting the right side of the truck, which was making a left turn onto Canal Boulevard from eastbound City Park Avenue. This is an ongoing investigation.

The Louisiana State Police have identified the dirt bike rider who was involved in a deadly crash while evading police on Canal Boulevard.

Landon Smith, 24, of Winnfield, was killed in the crash.

Police say the crash happened around 5 p.m. on Canal Boulevard at City Park Avenue.

Preliminary investigation revealed that New Orleans police were attempting to conduct a traffic stop on Canal Street in the French Quarter involving a dirt bike, driven by Smith.

Police say Smith was driving recklessly and refused to stop, and continued to flee from police.

Troop NOLA was made aware of the attempted traffic stop, and minutes later, they say Smith was traveling at a high rate of speed on Orleans Avenue while driving the wrong way into oncoming traffic.

Troopers attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but Smith continued to evade police.

Both NOPD and the troopers lost sight of the dirt bike.

Troopers eventually located a crash involving the dirt bike and a truck at the intersection of City Park Avenue and Canal Boulevard.

Law enforcement rendered aid to Smith, and he was transported to a local hospital, where he later died.

According to state police, Smith was traveling west on City Park Avenue at a high rate of speed on the right shoulder, while passing westbound traffic stopped at a red light.

As he approached the intersection of Canal Boulevard and disregarded the red light and continued straight through the intersection, hitting the right side of the truck, which was making a left turn onto Canal Boulevard from eastbound City Park Avenue.

This is an ongoing investigation.

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Louisiana

Why this New Orleans rooftop bar is considered one of the best in US

Published

1 day ago

April 7, 2026

Press Room

Why this New Orleans rooftop bar is considered one of the best in US

During the Gilded Age in New York City, rooftop bars originated as a way to escape the busy streets and enjoy refreshing drinks while observing the city with a birds-eye view.

Rooftop bars have held onto their novelty, as they serve as social hotspots for locals and as a perfect place for visitors to take in a new city.

Whether watching the day unfold or on a night out under the stars, rooftop bars remain popular spots for enjoying libations.

Mambo’s in New Orleans named best rooftop bar in Louisiana

Mambo’s in New Orleans is the best rooftop bar in Louisiana, according to Foodie, and is the only rooftop bar on Bourbon Street.

This rooftop bar offers a unique vantage point of the infamous Bourbon Street, with panoramic views and a lively atmosphere making the bar a perfect place to take in New Orleans’ ambience.

The open-air space seats over 50 guests, and is the perfect place for a night out or for laid-back afternoon cocktails with a view of New Orleans’ iconic French and Spanish architecture.

The rooftop bar is not the only feature attracting patrons, as this three-story building holds a hidden entrance to a secret courtyard on the main floor that leads to a patio garden. On the second floor, there is another, more intimate bar adorned with Louisiana-themed decor.

Each floor retains a rustic, historical feel, with exposed brick and reclaimed cypress planks making up the building’s interior structure. Decorating the space are pieces of local art and cultural Louisiana artifacts, making the space feel somewhat like a museum.

Not just a spot for good drinks, Mambo’s offers a dining menu full of traditional Cajun and Creole flavors. Using only the freshest local ingredients, Mambo’s chefs create a menu rich in New Orleans heritage, offering dishes like jambalaya, seafood gumbo, crawfish étouffée and a variety of po’boys.

The best rooftop bar in every state according to Foodie

Alabama: GunRunner Rooftop Bar in Florence
Alaska: 49th State Brewing in Anchorage
Arizona: The Perch Brewery in Chandler
Arkansas: Celeste at The Preacher’s Son in Bentonville
California: Florentín Rooftop Bar in Los Angeles
Colorado: 54thirty Rooftop in Denver
Connecticut: Sign of the Whale in Stamford
Delaware: The Quoin Hotel + Restaurant in Wilmington
Florida: Rosa Sky in Miami
Georgia: 9 Mile Station in Atlanta
Hawaii: Tikis Grill & Bar in Honolulu
Idaho: Crave Kitchen & Bar in Eagle
Illinois: Raised | An Urban Rooftop Bar in Chicago
Indiana: 3UP Rooftop Lounge in Carmel
Iowa: Wellman’s Pub & Rooftop in Des Moines
Kansas: Tallgrass Tap House in Manhattan
Kentucky: Lost Palm in Lexington
Louisiana: Mambo’s in New Orleans
Maine: Luna Rooftop Bar in Portland
Maryland: Hip Flask Rooftop Bar in Bethesda
Massachusetts: Apex Rooftop Bar and Lounge in Boston
Michigan: The Monarch Club in Detroit
Minnesota: Brit’s Pub in Minneapolis
Mississippi: 10 South Rooftop Bar and Grill in Vicksburg
Missouri: 360 Rooftop Bar in St. Louis
Montana: Bozeman Taproom & Spirits in Bozeman
Nebraska: The Rooftop in Lincoln
Nevada: Chéri Rooftop in Las Vegas
New Hampshire: Rooftop at The Envio in Portsmouth
New Jersey: RoofTop at Exchange Place in Jersey City
New Mexico: Coyote Cantina in Santa Fe
New York: 230 Fifth in New York City
North Carolina: Aura Rooftop in Charlotte
North Dakota: Camp Lonetree in Fargo
Ohio: VASO Rooftop Lounge in Dublin
Oklahoma: Social Capital in Oklahoma City
Oregon: The Roof Deck at Revolution Hall in Portland
Pennsylvania: Standard Tap in Philadelphia
Rhode Island: Rooftop at the Providence G in Providence
South Carolina: Rip Tydz in Myrtle Beach
South Dakota: Juniper at Vertex Sky Bar in Rapid City
Tennessee: The Lookout at Ole Red in Nashville
Texas: Upstairs at Caroline in Austin
Utah: The Green Pig Pub in Salt Lake City
Vermont: Juniper Bar & Restaurant in Burlington
Virginia: The Lost Fox Hideaway in Ashburn
Washington: The Pink Door in Seattle
West Virginia: LaFontaine’s Rooftop Lounge in Huntington
Wisconsin: People’s Park in Waukesha
Wyoming: Bear Bottom Bar and Grill in Centennial

Presley Bo Tyler is the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team reporter for USA Today Network. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com

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