Federal Judge Strikes Down Part Of Texas Abortion Law That Would Have Shuttered More Than A Dozen Clinics

The law would have required abortion clinics to meet hospital-level operating standards, but opponents argued it would make it too costly to remain open.

A Federal judge Friday struck down parts of a Texas law that would have shuttered more than a dozen abortion clinics, the Associated Press reported.

The law — which Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed in 2013 — would have required abortion clinics to meet hospital-level operating standards. After the law passed, a group of clinics sued, arguing that the new requirements made it too costly to remain open. They also argued the law was designed as a backdoor effort to force them to close.

Proponents countered that the requirements were designed to protect women's health. There are 19 facilities in Texas that provide abortions, the AP reported.

In his ruling Friday, Judge Lee Yeakel said the law would "create an impermissible obstacle as applied to all women seeking a previability abortion."

The law drew national attention last year when Democratic state Sen. Wendy Davis conducted a marathon filibuster to stop the law.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbot said he would appeal the ruling, the AP reported.

Lauren Bean, a spokeswoman for Abbot, confirmed to BuzzFeed Friday that an appeal was in the works: "The State disagrees with the court's ruling and will seek immediate relief from the Fifth Circuit, which has already upheld HB 2 once."

In the past, the state has fought hard to preserve the law in the past. After Judge Yeakel tossed out another part of the law last year, the state took it to an appeals court in New Orleans, according to The New York Times. The appeals court sided with Texas and reversed the lower court decision. That ruling ultimately forced some facilities in Texas to stop offering abortions.

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