Earlier this week a federal judge ruled new late-term abortion restrictions and clinic health requirements in Texas are unconstitutional after a lawsuit was filed by Planned Parenthood. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott immediately issued an appeal upon the ruling and late last night, it was overturned and abortion restrictions have been reinstated.
A federal appeals court issued a ruling Thursday reinstating most of Texas' controversial new abortions restrictions, just three days after a federal judge ruled they were unconstitutional.
A panel of judges at the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans said the law requiring doctors to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital can take effect while a lawsuit challenging the restrictions moves forward. The panel issued the ruling after District Judge Lee Yeakel said the provision serves no medical purpose.
Many of the abortion clinics in Texas do not meet new health standard requirements put into place earlier this year and therefore have closed or have stopped performing abortions. Clinics are now required to perform abortions in surgical facilities and cannot be performed after five months of pregnancy.
Planned Parenthood has condemned the ruling and President Cecile Richards stated this fight is "far from over." She also said women are being sent back to the 1950s with the panel's ruling.
If you liked 1950s Texas, you'll love the 5th Circuit's decision on #hb2: http://t.co/Hm3hw7UGys Spoiler alert: Women aren't going back.
— Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) November 1, 2013
On a national level, a bill banning abortions after 20-weeks is headed to the U.S. Senate.
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