In a 2-1 decision, a federal appeals court shut down a Wisconsin law that would require abortion providers to get admitting privileges at hospitals. Planned Parenthood and Affiliated Medical Services filed a lawsuit stating that the restriction, instituted in 2013, is unconstitutional. Appeals courts in six other states have already repealed similar statutes, leading the Supreme Court to consider the issue in the current term.
According to the ruling, the law would only restrict women’s access to abortions, which is a danger to women’s health. If the law were upheld, Affiliated Medical Services in Wisconsin would likely be forced to close because their doctors do not have admitting privileges, resulting in crowds and long waits at Planned Parenthood.
Those who support the law (mostly Republicans) say its intention is for women who experience complications post-abortion and need to be hospitalized. Judge Richard Posner, who opposed the law, believes there was “no rational basis for the law,” and “didn’t provide any health benefits for women seeking abortions and was clearly designed to close abortion clinics,” according to The Associated Press.
The Supreme Court has agreed to consider a case in which abortion providers are required to have admitting privileges and pay for costly facilities—And their decision should put cases such as the one in Wisconsin to rest nationwide. We’re glad that not only was this unconstitutional law repealed, but that court judges are speaking out against obvious efforts to endanger women’s health!