An Arkansas federal judge has temporarily blocked three new abortion restrictions, including a requirement that physicians providing the procedure be board-certified — a move that would likely have caused the closure of the state's only surgical abortion clinic.
The clinic in question, Little Rock Family Planning Services, and Planned Parenthood, backed by the ACLU of Arkansas, challenged the restrictions that also included a ban on abortions after 18 weeks of pregnancy and one that would prevent a woman from obtaining an aborting solely for the reason that the fetus was diagnosed with Down syndrome.
Just before midnight on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker granted a 14-day temporary restraining order to block the restrictions from taking effect.
The restrictions, approved by the state's GOP-controlled legislature and signed in March by Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, were scheduled to go into effect on Wednesday.
According to Little Rock's KATV, Dr. Linda Prine, who performs abortions in New York City, told the court that the restrictions would require women to travel out of state to get an abortion, a delay that could increase risk.
