Health Dept. Blocks Abortions At Planned Parenthood Clinic

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana's health department is refusing to let Planned Parenthood perform abortion services at its new clinic under construction in New Orleans.

The organization received a rejection letter last week from the Department of Health and Hospitals, which said it didn't demonstrate the need for another abortion facility in Louisiana.

Abortion rights supporters say the decision is one of a series of actions Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration has taken to create roadblocks for women seeking the procedure in Louisiana.

Melissa Flournoy, Louisiana state director of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, said in a statement Friday that politicians are trying to eliminate access to abortion in the state. She vowed to fight the health department's decision.

Planned Parenthood can appeal the rejection, or it could file a lawsuit.