Not now, not this time, Gov. Walker.
Good news for women who had appointments scheduled at the two Wisconsin clinics that would be closed by the state's new law requiring abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a local hospital: A federal district judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking that law,
sounding extremely skeptical about justifications for it:
The restraining order will remain in place pending a fuller hearing July 17. In his ruling, Conley said “there is a troubling lack of justification for the hospital admitting privileges requirement.” He said the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that states must prove that restrictions on abortion rights must be reasonably aimed at preserving the mother’s health.
“Moreover, the record to date strongly supports a finding that no medical purpose is served by this requirement,” he said.
The forced ultrasound part of the law was not challenged in the lawsuit, so Wisconsin women will have to continue to let Gov. Scott Walker rule their medical care on that front. But the clinics that provide care will remain open, at least for now, despite Republican efforts to close them.