Judge to consider extending block on new abortion law
A federal judge will hear arguments today about whether to extend his temporary block of a law that could close Mississippi’s only abortion clinic.
The law would require anyone doing abortions at Jackson Women’s Health Organization clinic to be an OB-GYN with privileges to admit patients to a local hospital.
The clinic says the admitting privileges requirement is not medically necessary and that it has been unable to obtain the privileges for its two out-of-state OB-GYNs. It also argues in court papers the requirement “gives hospitals a third-party veto over the availability of abortion in Mississippi” and that the clinic would face “irreparable harm” if the law were to be enforced.
AP
7/10/12