Wisconsin federal judge strikes down state's abortion law

MADISON, Wis., March 21 (UPI) -- A Wisconsin federal judge struck down a state law requiring doctors performing abortions have hospital-admitting privileges, saying the measure was enacted to put a barrier between women and the procedure.

U.S. District Judge William Conley, who had earlier put the law on hold, issued a permanent injunction blocking the 2013 law he ruled unconstitutional.

"The only reasonable conclusion is that the legislation was motivated by an improper purpose, namely to restrict the availability of abortion services in Wisconsin," Conley wrote in his ruling.

Organizations that included Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin challenged the law, saying the largest of the four abortion providers in Wisconsin would be forced to close if the law was to take effect.

"This could delay procedures by up to 10 weeks, forcing abortions later in pregnancy, if a woman is able to have one at all," the organization said in a written statement.