Supreme Court allows Texas abortion clinics to remain open

The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a law that would impose stringent new abortion clinic restrictions in Texas. The justices voted 5-4 to allow clinics to stay open while appeals to the law proceed.

Under the Texas law, "[d]octors who perform abortions at clinics must have privileges to admit patients to a hospital within 30 miles of the clinic, and all clinics in the state must have facilities equal to those available at a surgical center," according to SCOTUSblog. Critics say that the requirements are medically unnecessary, and that their only purpose is to shutter Texas' dwindling number of abortion clinics.

With the granting of the appeal, 10 abortion clinics in Texas at threat of closure will be able to remain open.

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