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Planned Parenthood sues to block Texas abortion law

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- Planned Parenthood is suing the state of Texas over a new abortion law the group says would close a third of abortion clinics in the state.

Planned Parenthood and several affiliated clinics and pro-choice groups have sued to block the implementation of Texas House Bill 2, which was the subject of national attention in June when Democratic state Sen. Wendy Davis staged an 11-hour filibuster during a special legislative session to block its passage.

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Texas Gov. Rick Perry called the Legislature back into special session after the Davis filibuster and lawmakers passed the bill, which would go into effect in October barring successful legal action by Planned Parenthood, Courthouse News Service reported Monday.

The legislation forces abortion clinics to have hospital emergency room-grade facilities and for doctors to have admitting privileges at a local hospital. The law also severely limits medication-induced abortions commonly used for women in the first weeks of pregnancy. It also bans all abortions in a woman's third trimester.

"If the medication abortion restrictions and admitting privileges requirement are allowed to take effect on Oct. 29, more than one-third of the state's licensed abortion facilities will be forced to stop offering abortions altogether, eliminating services entirely in Fort Worth, Harlingen, Killeen, McAllen and Waco," the lawsuit states.

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