Abortion-rights supporters filed a complaint against the new provision requiring abortion providers to qualify as ambulatory surgical centers. The concerned groups claimed that this will stifle women's constitutional rights for healthcare services.
The federal trial is scheduled for Monday and will be presided over by U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel. Abortion clinics in Texas have been dwindling in number since Gov. Rick Perry approved a provision requiring abortion doctors to be awarded with admitting rights in hospitals in 2013. Now, this second provision, which will take effect on Sept. 1, threatens the number of abortion clinics in the state again.
The Center for Reproductive Rights, the organization based in New York City that filed the complaint, stated that such provisions will prevent a woman from claiming her constitutional healthcare services rights. The provision mandates clinics to have room and door size requirements, as well as lockers and other infrastructures. Only six abortion clinics in major cities in Texas meet the requirements. Only 24 out of 40 remained, and more are expected to close before the provision begins.
"Forcing every abortion clinic to become a mini-hospital is medically unjustified and will push already scant reproductive health care services that much further-if not entirely-out of reach for Texas women," president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, Nancy Northup told the Wall Street Journal.
Supporters of the provision stated that it was enacted to help women have access to better healthcare by imposing stricter rules on abortion clinics. Opponents of the law, on the other hand, argued that it could deny low-income women living in rural areas access to abortion services, Texas Tribune reported.
"This is a little different, because we're talking about building facilities that cost millions of dollars. Either they already exist, or they're not going to magically appear on Sept. 1," said Esha Bhandari, an attorney representing the abortion providers.
