On July 1, nearly every abortion clinic will close in the state of Texas unless the Supreme Court intervenes. That would leave the state's 13.5 million women with access to all of eight clinics in six cities. But that's just the beginning of the restrictions that could potentially unfold over the month. Robin Marty
reports:
July 1 is also the start date of a new 48-hour, face-to-face waiting period the Tennessee legislature passed earlier this spring. That waiting period, as well as a law requiring all abortion clinics meet much more stringent, medically unnecessary “ambulatory surgical center” regulations, was signed by the Governor in May and also will be enforced at the first of the month. [...]
Florida, too, will have their own new face-to-face, two-appointment waiting period effective on July 1st, although theirs is just 24 hours long.
The face-to-face visits and waiting periods have mainly been added to increase the time, money and logistical hoops a woman has to jump through to get an abortion, especially if she is coming from another state because the clinic is actually easier for her to reach.
Lawyers are contesting all three laws (in Texas, Tennessee and Florida) but whether the courts will intercede in time remains to be seen.