In a major victory for those favoring abortion rights, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down today a Texas law that the justices concluded placed a “substantial obstacle” in “the path of women” seeking an abortion.
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In a lengthy dissent Thomas wrote “separately to emphasize how today’s decision perpetuates the Court’s habit of applying different rules to different constitutional rights-especially the putative right to abortion”.
She said she expects the Supreme Court on Tuesday will resolve Wisconsin’s petition as well as a petition on a similar MS law, which an appeals court also struck down.
Former state Sen. Wendy Davis says the Supreme Court striking down Texas’ abortion law validates a 2013 filibuster she staged against it.
“He also pledged to defund Planned Parenthood and appoint Supreme Court justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade”, she said, referring to the landmark court decision that legalized abortion.
The American Medical Association, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and a wide array of medical organizations said in legal papers filed with the court insisted there is no medical reason for the law and it actually jeopardizes women’s health by delaying or blocking access to abortions. Abortion rights activists Morgan Hopkins of Boston, left, and Alison Turkos of New York City, rejoice in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, Monday, June 27, 2016, as news is announced that the justices struck down.
Texas passed a broad bill imposing several abortion restrictions in 2013. “2 could genuinely protect the health of women, and certain that the law ‘would simply make it more hard for them to obtain abortions.'” Breyer and Ginsburg were joined by Justices Anthony Kennedy, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan.
Ben Clapper, the executive director of Louisiana Right to Life, said that the Supreme Court ruling “does not predict a favorable forecast” for Louisiana’s admitting privileges law.
The ruling on Monday said that would prevent some women from having access to abortions, and created too much of a burden for others.
“It may not be the death blow, but it certainly makes it more hard to put forward these types of laws with a straight face”, she said. “For some women, that means two really long trips, and that increases the time and the expense and the difficulty”.
Clapper said he expects a bill passed this session banning dilation and evacuation abortions, which are the most common type of second-trimester abortions, to come under a similar challenge.
“He seems to have an appetite for prohibiting certain procedures”, Clapper said of Kennedy. It is clearly aimed at Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, which has opened a new clinic on Claiborne Avenue and is expected to pursue a license to perform abortions.
But that case is likely to center on whether federal regulations allow states to deny Medicaid funding to health care providers if they are performing legal abortions, Griffin said.
Documentary filmmaker Dawn Porter, who made a film about abortion providers in Texas and elsewhere in “Trapped” that was released this year, said she was “elated”.
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But the Supreme Court had moved in swiftly, barring the ruling from the 5th Circuit from taking effect, and in its opinion Monday affirmed its dedication to the abortion industry.
