Abortion Bill protest in Austin/ Flickr CC via Do512 |
The biggest issue in the law requires doctors that perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within thirty miles of the site. Another provision bans abortions after twenty weeks, except if the health of the woman is in danger. If a pregnant woman wants to induce an abortion by taking a pill, the state will require the pills to be taken in the presence of a doctor at a certified abortion facility. Lastly, beginning next September, all abortions must take place in a facility that meets the infrastructure requirements for an ambulatory surgical center.
Steve Malzeberg asked Kendall Coffey about the Texas law during the weekly "Spinning the Law" segment on the Steve Malzberg Show on Newsmax. Malzberg commented on the requirement for doctors to have hospital practice privileges. This is what Kendall Coffey said:
“That is certainly one of the issues. Advocates of the law would say that abortion
doctors had to be admitted with privileges in a nearby hospital, within thirty
miles. As you know, one of the things
that establishes a credential for a doctor is to be granted privileges to
practice in a local hospital. It’s not
automatically done, it’s not rightly done, it’s not as easy, frankly, as
getting admitted to the state bar association.
It’s a significant validation of your professionalism and ability to
grant the privileges to practice in a hospital.
"Apparently a number of the doctors that perform this kind of procedure
don’t have those privileges within thirty miles. The Texas legislature has said that it’s a
requirement and the judge following what is the law as of today presumably made
the right decision of the existing law but advocates of these kind of laws,
they aren’t simply trying to thumb their nose at the U.S. constitution. They have a very thoughtful strategy for
picking particular issues. This is a
type of strategy that no one should dismiss.
The outcome of this particular issue at the lower court level is not
surprising. But what’s going to happen
when it gets to Washington and the nine Supreme Court justices will look at it?
That’s much harder to predict.”
Wendy Davis/ Flickr CC via Do512 |
The law received the most media attention when legislator Wendy Davis performed a marathon filibuster to try and prevent it from being passed. Wendy Davis is now running for governor of Texas.
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