For Release: September 3, 2015

Clinics Take Fight Against Texas Anti-Abortion Law to SCOTUS Texas—On Thursday, a coalition of reproductive health care providers filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court asking them to review an appellate court’s decision to uphold a Texas law that would cause widespread abortion clinic closures. Heather Busby, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Texas, made the following statement in support of the filing: “No one should have to travel hundreds of miles to access health care. If allowed to go into full effect, this law will devastate access to reproductive health care. It’s time for the Supreme Court to step in and shut down this dangerous law once and for all.” Shortly after the appellate court’s June 2015 decision to uphold the law, HB 2, the Supreme Court issued an order temporarily blocking it from going into full effect. The coalition, represented by the Center for Reproductive Rights, is challenging provisions of HB 2 that mandate that all abortion clinics meet mini-hospital standards—which requires unnecessary and expensive building renovations including widening hallways and adding in locker rooms—and give hospital boards veto power over which clinics are able to provide abortion. Since provisions of HB 2 first went into effect in 2013, over half of the abortion clinics in Texas have been forced to close. There are currently 16 abortion clinics open in Texas, but if the law is allowed to go into full effect, only 10 clinics will remain.

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Contact: Zoey Lichtenheld, NARAL Pro-Choice Texas, zoey@prochoicetexas.org, o: (512) 462-1661, m: (512) 920-2046