The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected Planned Parenthood’s request to challenge a new Arkansas law that strengthens health protections for women undergoing medication abortions.
Which, frankly, any “women’s health care provider” should be all for.
Passed in 2015, Arkansas law requires any abortion provider who performs medication-induced abortions (the most common abortion procedure used in the first trimester) to have a signed agreement with a physician who has admitting privileges to a local hospital that can handle any complications from the procedure. The regulation is set to take effect in July.
The law is similar to a Texas regulation that was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2016, which required abortion providers themselves to have admitting privileges to a hospital or emergency care facility within 30 miles. The Arkansas law doesn’t require abortion provider to have such an agreement with a local hospital, but rather requires them to have contractual agreements with physicians who do.
Proponents of the law argue this rule ensures women who suffer from abortion complications or botched procedures will get the emergency aftercare that they need.
Planned Parenthood, of course, disagrees, saying the regulation is “unnecessary” and effectively "bans" medication abortion. Which it doesn't.
The again, the abortion giant has a long history of opposing laws that step up health standards for women. So really, who’s surprised?