A federal judge in Austin, Tex., on Friday blocked a stringent new rule that would have forced more than half the state's remaining abortion clinics to close.
The rule, requiring all abortion clinics to meet the building standards of hospital-style surgery centers, was set to take effect on Monday. But in his opinion, Judge Lee Yeakel of the United States District Court in Austin, said that the mandate placed an unconstitutional burden on a women's right to an abortion.
State officials are expected to appeal the decision.
The ruling by Judge Lee Yeakel of United States District Court
Entities 0 Name: Austin Count: 2 1 Name: Judge Lee Yeakel Count: 2 2 Name: Tex. Count: 1 3 Name: United States District Court Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/1zNI3nt Title: Judge: Texas school finance system unconstitutional Description: American-Statesman Staff Texas' system for financing public schools violates the state constitution, an Austin judge ruled Thursday. The long-awaited ruling by state District Judge John Dietz - totalling 404 pages - ends the first chapter in a massive legal challenge that has already spanned three years and involves about two-thirds of the state's school districts.
