Alabama governor laments judge’s abortion clinic ruling

Last updated on: August 7, 2014 at 8:04 am by CNA Daily News

Alabama governor laments judge’s abortion clinic ruling 2014-08-07T08:04:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Montgomery, Ala., Aug 7, 2014 / 02:04 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Robert Bentley, Alabama's governor and a trained physician, has expressed disappointment that a law he signed last year requiring abortionists in the state to have hospital admitting privileges was struck down by a federal judge.

“We are extremely disappointed by today’s ruling,” Bentley stated.

“As a doctor, I firmly believe that medical procedures, including abortions, performed in Alabama should be done in the safest manner possible,” he said, explaining that the law in question “ensures that if a complication arises there is continuity of treatment between doctor and patient.”

“This ruling significantly diminishes those important protections,” he charged.

On Aug. 4, U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson ruled against a 2013 Alabama law requiring doctors who perform abortion procedures to have hospital admitting privileges.

Thompson said the law would make it more difficult for women living in the three largest Alabama cities – Birmingham, Mobile and Montgomery – to obtain abortions, because clinics in those areas do not meet the standards set out in the law and could be forced to close or acquire new doctors.

“The resulting unavailability of abortion in these three cities would impose significant obstacles, burdens, and costs for women across Alabama,” he wrote in his opinion.

However, Gov. Bentley said that the law exists to protect women’s health as well as the unborn.

“Abortion is a fundamental assault on the sanctity of innocent human life,” he said, adding that he “will always fight for the rights of the unborn, and support an appeal of today’s decision.”

According to the Montgomery Advisor, emergency room doctor Dr. James Anderson had testified before the district court that it “would benefit women to have abortion doctors with admitting privileges at a local hospital.”

“When starting off brand new with a patient, you have to be like a detective,” he said, explaining that patients do not always reveal if they have had an abortion procedure in emergency situations, and that additional information from abortion providers helps ensure that the doctor is not “starting in the dark” in such cases.

Laws similar to Alabama’s have been implemented in Missouri, North Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Utah, while they have been blocked in Kansas and Wisconsin.

The Alabama case was brought by Planned Parenthood Southeast and abortion clinics in Birmingham and Mobile, saying that the clinics in Birmingham, Mobile and Montgomery would close if the law were to be enacted. Currently, these clinics use doctors from Nigeria, Chicago and Georgia, and cannot meet the residency requirements and other rules necessary to gain admitting privileges in those cities.

Two clinics in Tuscaloosa and Huntsville have local doctors with local hospital admitting privileges.

Thompson, in his opinion, paralleled a right to procure and abortion with the right to bear arms, and wrote that were the state to “implement a new restriction on who may sell firearms and ammunition” such that “only two vendors in the State of Alabama were capable of complying with the restriction,” then “the defenders of this law would be called upon to do a heck of a lot of
explaining – and rightly so in the face of an effect so severe.”

Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange said that he would appeal Thompson’s decision.

Previous Post

August 7, 2014

Congregation for religious issues guidelines for financial management

Next Post

August 7, 2014 Don't ignore rural Catholics in America, advocate exhorts

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much ____; apart from me you can do nothing.

Select your answer to see how you score.

Faith Peace Joy Fruit