Planned Parenthood v. Abbott: The Fight in Texas Continues in Court
By Jacqueline Murphy | Sept. 27, 2013, 4:32 p.m.
Category: Attacks on Planned Parenthood, State Attacks
Remember when Gov. Rick Perry and his cronies rammed through an extreme and dangerous anti-women’s health law—after two special sessions, a citizen filibuster, and a Texas-sized standoff? Well, the fight isn’t over.
Today, Planned Parenthood Federation of America filed a lawsuit with the Center for Reproductive Rights and American Civil Liberties Union to block two harmful and unconstitutional provisions of the anti-women’s health law designed to restrict rights in the state. Planned Parenthood v. Abbott is our last chance to stop the law before it puts safe and legal abortion out of reach for many Texas women.
Specifically, they are fighting two far-reaching parts of the law (HB2) before they take effect on October 29, including an admitting privileges requirement and a restriction on medication abortion.
The requirement that physicians who provide abortion obtain admitting privileges at a local hospital would not enhance women's safety and could cause at least one-third of the state’s licensed health centers providing safe and legal abortion to stop that service next month.
Courts have blocked similar provisions in other states across the country, including Alabama, Mississippi, North Dakota, and Wisconsin, before they could take effect. Similarly, North Dakota and Oklahoma have permanently struck down unconstitutional restrictions on medication abortion—a safe and effective method to end an early pregnancy.
This law is unpopular: 80% of Texans did not want this bill, and significant members of the medical community, including American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Texas Medical Association, and Texas Hospital Association, also publicly opposed provisions in the law because they provide no medical benefit to women and will actually jeopardize women’s health and safety.
The provisions of HB2 make a terrible situation for women even worse. By severely limiting access to safe and legal abortion in Texas, they may cause women to resort to desperate and dangerous measures. Anti-women’s health politicians nationwide will seize the opportunity and continue to pass similar bills in state after state if dangerous laws like these aren’t taken to court. At the end of the day, this isn’t just about Texas; it’s about defending women’s health and rights nationwide.
That’s why we’re still standing with Texas women—and we’re fighting back!
Tags: Abortion, Texas, State Fights, HB 2, Lawsuit
