A Utah law that would effectively prevent Planned Parenthood from performing abortions in the state has been blocked by a judge.
Judge Andrew H. Stone of Utah’s Third Judicial District has reportedly blocked a newly enacted law that would ban abortions from being conducted in places other than hospitals from coming into effect, reports on Tuesday have claimed.
Bill H.B. 467 was signed by state governor Spencer Cox (R) last month, and would effectively prevent Planned Parenthood-run abortion clinics from continuing operations inside the state, with the measures due to come into effect on Wednesday.
Over 95 per cent of Utah abortions are reportedly undertaken in such facilities, with hospitals only traditionally engaging in the procedure in the case of the mother’s life being in danger, as well as instances of rape, incest, and fatal foetal abnormalities.
However, according to a report by the New York Times, an attempt by Planned Parenthood to block the law has, for now, succeeded, with Judge Stone granting a temporary injunction after ruling that it is likely a formal legal challenge from the body against the law would succeed.
In a ruling on the matter, the judge described the Utah government’s rationale for the ban as “nebulous”, agreeing with Planned Parenthood that abortion clinics, in particular, had been unjustifiably singled out by the law.
While celebrating the victory, the pro-abortion body expressed concern over an attempt by the state to completely ban abortion-on-demand in the wake of the repeal of Roe v. Wade, with the trigger law currently frozen amidst as a legal battle is waged in the courts.
Planned Parenthood performed 374,155 abortions, according to its annual 2021-2022 report, titled “Relentless.” https://t.co/Ph1dGjZgZG
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) April 28, 2023
Ban the judge.