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Appeals court reverses lower court's Texas abortion decision
by Melissa Barnhart November 1, 2013
Newscast Media AUSTIN—Abortion clinics in Texas will have to comply with a new state law that requires abortionists to have admitting privileges at a local hospital within 30 miles should a patient need emergency care. The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on Thursday overruled Federal Judge Lee Yeakel's decision in which he ruled that part of the state's abortion law is unconstitutional. For now, the law stands until it's argued before the Fifth Circuit in the coming months.
Lawyers for Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, Center for Reproductive Rights and abortionists have argued that the state's new abortion regulations would lead to a majority of the state's abortion clinics closing down. But according to Texas Right to Life, abortionists have the power to meet the health and safety standards that are required by law, if they want to.
"If you're advocating against safety standards as a means of keeping more abortion clinics open, then that doesn't promote better health at all," Emily Horne, legislative associate with Texas Right to Life, told The Christian Post on Monday. "I can't be OK with saying 'Well, we just better not pass any regulations because even if the abortions are unsafe, they have to be available."
She continued, "I can't predict what the abortion clinics are going to do in the future. It's in their power to upgrade the facility standards. But you can't advocate for more abortions if you're advocating against safety."
Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood and daughter of the-late Ann Richards, a former governor of Texas, said in a Thursday statement that, "This fight is far from over. This restriction clearly violates Texas women's constitutional rights by drastically reducing access to safe and legal abortion statewide."
In a statement shared with CP, Ashley McGuire of the Catholic Association commented on the Fifth Circuit's reversal noting, "The Court's restoration of the requirement that doctors performing abortions have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital is basic common sense, especially in the post-Gosnell era. Beginning today, nearly one-third of abortion clinics in Texas cannot legally perform abortions. Whether the law will continue to weather the courts, time will tell, but in the meantime - countless lives will be saved and the health of many women will be protected." Add Comments>>
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