Supreme Court affirms restriction on abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to hear Planned Parenthood's challenge to an Arkansas law requiring that physicians who dispense abortion-inducing drugs be linked to in-state hospitals, likely clearing the way for closure of two of the state's three abortion clinics.

The decision means the law will take effect in the middle of July.

Planned Parenthood has argued the law would lead to closure of its Little Rock and Fayetteville facilities, which only perform medication abortions, reported LifeSiteNews.

The nation's largest abortion provider appealed to the Supreme Court after the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a court order blocking enforcement of the law.

In its appeal, Planned Parenthood warned that if the law stands, Arkansas would be the only state where women would have no access to two drugs that end pregnancies, mifepristone and misopostol.

The law requires doctors who provide abortion pills to hold a contract with another physician who has admitting privileges at a hospital and is willing to treat any complications that might arise.

Planned Parenthood, which notes there were no obstetricians in the state willing to handle hospital admissions, argues the law infringes on a woman's right to an abortion, creating an "undue burden," the standard set by the Supreme Court.

The law is similar to a provision in a Texas law that was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2016.

In the landmark 5-3 decision, the court ruled that Texas cannot place restrictions on the delivery of abortion services that create an undue burden for women seeking an abortion.

Next month, the Supreme Court is expected to issue its ruling on a California law forcing pro-life pregnancy centers to advertise abortions.