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By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS | Published: July 12, 2012 Oklahoman
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JACKSON, Miss. — A federal judge on Wednesday decided to continue to block a state law that threatened to shut down Mississippi’s only abortion clinic.
U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III temporarily blocked the law July 1 and extended that order Wednesday, though he did not immediately say how long it would last.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states can’t place undue burdens or substantial obstacles to women seeking abortion. The law would require anyone performing clinic abortions to be an obstetrician-gynecologist with privileges to admit patients to a local hospital. The doctors at the Jackson clinic do not have those privileges.
Supporters of the law say it’s designed to protect patients. Republican Gov. Phil Bryant says he hopes it will help make Mississippi “abortion-free.”
The clinic, Jackson Women’s Health Organization, says it has been unable to obtain admitting privileges for two out-of-state doctors because local hospitals have not responded to their requests.
Admitting privileges can be difficult to get because hospitals might not grant them to out-of-state physicians. Hospitals with religious affiliations might not give them to doctors who perform abortions.
The clinic said it would face “irreparable harm” if the law were to be enforced because hospitals haven’t said when — or if — they’ll consider the admitting privileges.
“If they’re denied or if the hospitals are dragging their feet, that’s going to be more clear evidence that there’s a substantial obstacle” to access to an abortion, clinic attorney Robert McDuff said.
The government said the privileges help protect patients by ensuring they have continuity of care if a woman needs to go to the hospital. They also note that while the clinic might have to wait to get hospital privileges, “inconvenience is not ‘irreparable harm.’”
The state attorney general’s office declined to comment.
The law was passed by the GOP-controlled Legislature. When Republican Gov. Phil Bryant signed it, he said: “If it closes that clinic, then so be it.”
The state’s attorney had argued that any anti-abortion statements by elected officials were “weak evidence” that the purpose of the law was to prevent abortions.
Terri Herring, of the Pro Life America Network, said the hospitals should deny admitting privileges for the abortion clinic’s doctors.
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JACKSON, Miss. — A federal judge on Wednesday decided to continue to block a state law that threatened to shut down Mississippi’s only abortion clinic.
U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III temporarily blocked the law July 1 and extended that order Wednesday, though he did not immediately say how long it would last.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states can’t place undue burdens or substantial obstacles to women seeking abortion. The law would require anyone performing clinic abortions to be an obstetrician-gynecologist with privileges to admit patients to a local hospital. The doctors at the Jackson clinic do not have those privileges.
Supporters of the law say it’s designed to protect patients. Republican Gov. Phil Bryant says he hopes it will help make Mississippi “abortion-free.”
The clinic, Jackson Women’s Health Organization, says it has been unable to obtain admitting privileges for two out-of-state doctors because local hospitals have not responded to their requests.
Admitting privileges can be difficult to get because hospitals might not grant them to out-of-state physicians. Hospitals with religious affiliations might not give them to doctors who perform abortions.
The clinic said it would face “irreparable harm” if the law were to be enforced because hospitals haven’t said when — or if — they’ll consider the admitting privileges.
“If they’re denied or if the hospitals are dragging their feet, that’s going to be more clear evidence that there’s a substantial obstacle” to access to an abortion, clinic attorney Robert McDuff said.
The government said the privileges help protect patients by ensuring they have continuity of care if a woman needs to go to the hospital. They also note that while the clinic might have to wait to get hospital privileges, “inconvenience is not ‘irreparable harm.’”
The state attorney general’s office declined to comment.
The law was passed by the GOP-controlled Legislature. When Republican Gov. Phil Bryant signed it, he said: “If it closes that clinic, then so be it.”
The state’s attorney had argued that any anti-abortion statements by elected officials were “weak evidence” that the purpose of the law was to prevent abortions.
Terri Herring, of the Pro Life America Network, said the hospitals should deny admitting privileges for the abortion clinic’s doctors.
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