Three days after a federal court judge struck down a central provision in Texas’ restrictive new abortion law, a federal appeals court has reinstated it. Earlier this week, a judge said that part of the law requiring that abortion providers be able to admit patients to nearby hospitals “places a substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking an abortion of a nonviable fetus and is thus an undue burden to her.” The provision would effectively close many of the state’s abortion clinics. Late yesterday, the appeals court reversed the judge’s decision and said that the restriction will stay in place while a lawsuit against the new measures by Planned Parenthood moves through the legal system. In a statement, Gov. Rick Perry, an advocate of the measure, said, “Today’s decision affirms our right to protect both the unborn and the health of the women of Texas. We will continue doing everything we can to protect a culture of life in our state” …
