NEW YORK — The Supreme Court issued a decisive ruling today in what has been described as the most important abortion case in decades. The 5-3 ruling strikes down two abortion restrictions: the mandate that abortion providers have admitting privileges at local hospitals and the requirement that abortion clinics be outfitted as mini-hospitals.



Jennifer Dalven, director of the Reproductive Freedom Project at the American Civil Liberties Union had this response:

"Today, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that the Constitution protects not just the theoretical right to abortion, but the right of a woman to actually get one without unwarranted interference from politicians. The decision should send a loud signal to politicians that they can no longer hide behind sham rationales to shut down clinics and prevent a woman who has decided to end a pregnancy from getting the care she needs."

This decision sets a national precedent and its effects are likely to be felt around the country. Challenges to admitting privileges requirements similar to the Texas law are currently pending in federal courts in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

The full decision can be accessed here: https://www.aclu.org/legal-document/whole-womans-health-v-hellerstedt-ruling

More information is at: https://www.aclu.org/cases/whole-womans-health-v-hellerstedt