News & Commentary

Trial Begins Monday in Case Challenging Dangerous Restrictions that Would Force All but Two Health Centers in the State to Stop Providing Abortions

May 16, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: 212-549-2666, [email protected]

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A federal court trial begins Monday in a lawsuit seeking to permanently block a harmful Alabama law signed in 2013. This law would force three of the five licensed health centers providing abortion in the state to stop doing so, by requiring their doctors to obtain admitting privileges at local hospitals.

Leading national medical groups, such as the American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, oppose laws like these because they do little for patient safety. In fact, these laws put women at risk because they force quality health care providers to close. Even the top public health official in Alabama testified that this law would not make women safer and urged the legislature not to pass it.

"We all want to protect women’s health and safety," said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. "This law won’t do that — in fact; it will do the opposite, which is why we are in court on behalf of the patients who turn to Planned Parenthood health centers for safe, compassionate, respectful care."

FOR

Unnecessary Restrictions Would Force All but Two Clinics in the State to Stop Providing Abortions
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 31, 2014

CONTACT:
Robyn Shepherd, ACLU National, 212-519-7829, [email protected]
Brooke Anderson, ACLU of Alabama, 334-265-2754, [email protected]

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A challenge to an Alabama law that singles out abortion providers for medically unnecessary restrictions will go to trial after a federal judge’s order today. The law would force all but two of the licensed women’s health centers in the state to stop offering abortion care. The law was challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Alabama, and the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

“This law has absolutely nothing to do with protecting women’s health,” said Alexa Kolbi-Molinas, a staff attorney at the ACLU. “Rather, it’s just another attempt by politicians prevent a woman from getting a safe and legal abortion, pure and simple.”

The law requires abortion providers to obtain staff privileges at local hospitals. These laws are opposed by leading national medical groups, such as the American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Even the state’s own Department of Health opposed the law and asked the legislature not to pass it. In the order issued today, the Court recognized that “plaintiffs have offered substantial evidence that this regulation does almost nothing to protect women’s health.”

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Unnecessary Restrictions Would Force Most Clinics in the State to Stop Providing Abortions