Supreme Court declines to hear Wisconsin's appeal of stay on new abortion law

WASHINGTON, June 23 (UPI) -- The U.S. Supreme Court refused Monday to hear Wisconsin's effort to begin enforcing a new abortion law, leaving a federal judge's stay in place.

The decision is at least a temporary victory for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin and Affiliated Medical Services, which filed a legal challenge to the law requiring doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospials. U.S. District Judge William Conley, who has not yet ruled on the law itself, put a hold on enforcing it last year.

Planned Parenthood operates three of Wisconsin's four clinics, and Affiliated runs the other one. The Affiliated clinic is the only one that performs abortions beyond 18 weeks into a pregnancy.

A number of states have passed laws requiring doctors at abortion clinics to have admitting privileges at a hospital no more than 30 miles away. While supporters of the laws say they protect women, abortion providers say they are irrelevant to safety and designed to force clinics to shut down.

Conley's stay was upheld by a federal appeals court. His decision on the law itself is expected this summer and is certain to be appealed.