Texas Abortion Law That Could Close Half Of State's Clinics Upheld By Appeals Court

[Purveyor]

Source: Guardian UK

A US court upheld on Tuesday the most restrictive provisions of a Texas law that could force the closure of more than half of the state’s remaining abortion clinics, in a major blow to reproductive rights activists.

Texas asked a three-judge panel on the fifth US circuit court of appeals, one of the nation’s most conservative courts, to overturn a decision by a US district judge that temporarily blocked an onerous provision of the state’s abortion law from going into effect.

The law, which was put on hold by the US supreme court in October while the appeals process played out, requires all clinics in the state to meet the standards of hospital-like ambulatory surgical centers. Abortion rights advocates and health care providers who opposed the law say the upgrades are costly and unnecessarily burdensome – the stringent operational requirements would force clinics to spend millions to comply, which most can’t afford.

Restrictions requiring doctors who perform abortion to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals remain on hold for a clinic in McAllen.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jun/09/texas-abortion-law-clinics-close

[totodeinhere]

1. That Fifth US Circuit is by far the very worst.

Dominated by Republican nominees.

[ananda]

3. Can't argue with the truth

Nothing bad gets annulled by the Fifth Circuit.

Pure evil.

However, I never cease to be amazed by the
complacency of the women here.

Where is the fucking fight?

[yallerdawg]

2. Judicial nominations matter!

The War on Women continues.

Legal and safe constitutionally guaranteed rights for women mean nothing.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Texas abortion law could wind up before Supreme Court

Texas abortion law could wind up before Supreme Court
By Brian M. Rosenthal | June 9, 2015 | Updated: June 9, 2015 2:28pm

A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld almost all of a controversial Texas law that could leave fewer than 10 abortion clinics in the state of 27 million people, setting up a potential battle at the U.S. Supreme Court.

The appeals court unanimously ruled that the 2013 law known as House Bill 2 could take effect everywhere but McAllen, where there is only one clinic serving a wide swath of South Texas.

The 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals rejected a similar exemption for El Paso, noting there is a clinic in nearby Santa Teresa, N.M.

More broadly, the panel of three judges upheld the law's requirements that abortion facilities meet the expensive standards of hospital-style surgical centers and that abortion doctors obtain admitting privileges at a nearby hospital.

More:
http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Court-upholds-law-that-could-leave-8-abortion-6316420.php

[prayin4rain]

5. Scary times for women. n/t