Federal appeals court says Texas can block pill-induced abortions during pandemic

[TexasTowelie]

by Shannon Najmabadi, Texas Tribune


Reversing course, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday said access to pill-induced abortions can be restricted while the state fights the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision is the latest in a fast-moving court case that has ricocheted between the politically conservative appeals court and a federal district judge in Austin — and at times amounted to a near-total ban on abortions in Texas. In previous rulings, the New Orleans-based appeals court has allowed pill-induced abortions to proceed, as well as abortions for women nearing the legal limit to have one in Texas, which is 22 weeks after the last menstrual period.

Medication-induced abortions can be performed in Texas through the 10th week of pregnancy. It was not immediately clear how the court’s ruling will apply after Tuesday, when a strict bar on nonessential surgeries in Texas will be relaxed.

In March, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott barred all procedures not “immediately medically necessary,” and the state’s attorney general declared the restriction applied to abortions — sparking a weekslong court fight and prompting some women to seek abortions out of state.

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2020/04/20/texas-abortion-pill-coronavirus/

[OAITW r.2.0]

1. wtf...why?

Another reason to vote Blue and expect serious correction in our Judicial Branches. Mitch McConnell showed us how it's done, we can start changing the Courts in 2021.

[texasfiddler]

2. WTF?