An abortion rights activist participates in a "Stop Abortion Bans" rally, organized by NARAL Pro-Choice California, in Los Angeles, Calif., on May 21, 2019. File Photo by Chris Chew/UPI |
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Dec. 23 (UPI) -- A federal judge has blocked the state of Arkansas from enforcing multiple abortion bills that it's attempted to implement for more than three years.
U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker issued a two-week restraining order to block four laws that ban the common abortion practice of dilation and evacuation for second-trimester abortions, require doctors to inform police if girls younger than 16 have an abortion, prohibit sex-selective abortions and regulate the disposal of fetal remains.
Baker gave a similar restraining order after the bills were passed in 2017, but the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the injunction and ordered her to use a different legal standard in the case.
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge vowed to fight the injunction.
"I am disappointed in Judge Baker's decision to again temporarily block Arkansas laws protecting young girls from predators and sex traffickers, protecting girls from sex-selective abortions, and prohibiting particularly barbaric abortion practices," Rutledge said.
"Arkansas has repeatedly prevailed when it has appealed similar rulings by Judge Baker and will ultimately do so again."
Jenny Ma, a senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, said before the ruling the CRR would use all legal options to block the new abortion laws.
"Not only are these laws unconstitutional, if they go into effect, they will unnecessarily expose pregnant people to severe and unwarranted harm," Ma said.
"If a pregnant person is in an abusive relationship or has a hostile home environment, the law requiring clinics to inform a patient's partner or family of their abortion could seriously threaten their safety."
"We're relieved these harmful and unconstitutional restrictions have once again been blocked by the courts," Holly Dickson, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, added in a statement.
"These laws would decimate access to abortion in Arkansas at a time when families are already struggling to get care."
