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Page Number: 39

34 

JUNE MEDICAL SERVICES L. L. C. v. RUSSO 

Opinion of BREYER, J. 

of  20  weeks  would  have  little  or  no  way  to  exercise  their 
constitutional right to an abortion.  Id., at 1330–1331. 

Those women not altogether prevented from obtaining an 
abortion would face other burdens.  As in Whole Woman’s 
Health, the reduction in abortion providers caused by Act
620 would inevitably mean “longer waiting times, and in-
creased crowding.”  579 U. S., at ___ (slip op., at 26).  The 
District Court heard testimony that delays in obtaining an
abortion  increase  the  risk  that  a  woman  will  experience
complications from the procedure and may make it impos-
sible for her to choose a noninvasive medication abortion. 
App. 220, 290, 312–313; see also id., at 1139, 1305, 1313, 
1316, 1323. 

Even  if  they  obtain  an  appointment  at  a  clinic,  women
who might previously have gone to a clinic in Baton Rouge 
or Shreveport would face increased driving distances.  New 
Orleans  is  nearly  a  five  hour  drive  from  Shreveport;  it  is
over an hour from Baton Rouge; and Baton Rouge is more
than four hours from Shreveport.  The impact of those in-
creases  would  be  magnified  by  Louisiana’s  requirement 
that every woman undergo an ultrasound and receive man-
datory counseling at least 24 hours before an abortion.  La. 
Rev.  Stat.  Ann.  §40:1061.10(D).    A  Shreveport  resident 
seeking  an  abortion  who  might  previously  have  obtained
care at one of that city’s local clinics would either have to 
spend  nearly  20  hours  driving  back  and  forth  to  Doe  5’s 
clinic twice, or else find overnight lodging in New Orleans. 
As the District Court stated, both  experts and laypersons
testified that the burdens of this increased travel would fall 
disproportionately on poor women, who are least able to ab-
sorb them.  App. 106–107, 178, 502–508, 543; see also id., 
at 311–312. 

2 
We note that the Court of Appeals also faulted the Dis-