Rights Groups and Clinics Sue Texas Over Abortion Law
National women’s rights groups and Texas abortion clinics filed suit on Friday in federal court in Texas, seeking to block provisions of a new state law that they said would have “dramatic and draconian effects” on women’s access to the procedure.
The suit targets two provisions of a sweeping anti-abortion law that Texas adopted in July. The rules are scheduled to take effect on Oct. 29.
The first is a requirement that doctors who perform abortions have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. Many medical experts say the rule, which was passed in the name of safety, is medically unnecessary and that the requirement cannot be met by clinics in smaller communities.
In a telephone news conference Friday, Texas clinic owners said that the rule may force one-third of the state’s 36 abortion clinics to shut down, leaving large areas of the state without ready access.