Austin, Texas, Nov 1, 2013 / 16:26 pm
Texas pro-life advocates have claimed victory after a federal appeals court unanimously reinstated state rules that require abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals.
"Legislators worked so hard to pass House Bill 2 because they are not only concerned about protecting the unborn, but also about women going to abortion clinics with sub-standard conditions and unsanitary equipment," Elizabeth Graham, director of Texas Right to Life, said Oct. 31.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Oct. 31 reinstated a provision of an abortion law that requires abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of their clinic.
The appellate court's ruling overturned the decision of U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel, who had ruled Oct. 28 that the provision was unconstitutional and issued a permanent injunction against it.