Appeals Court Strikes Down Pittsburgh Buffer Zone Ordinance

Friday, a federal appeals court struck down a Pittsburgh ordinance that created two types of buffer zones around abortion clinics. The ordinance banned protesters from coming within 15 feet of entrances, and also prohibited them from coming within eight feet of people entering and exiting clinics within a 100-foot buffer zone around clinic entrances. The…

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Illinois Parental Notification Law Goes into Effect

Following years of legal challenges, a state parental notification law, which requires physicians to notify a parent or guardian before a minor obtains abortion care, will take effect tomorrow in Illinois. In July, a federal appeals court in Chicago lifted a federal injunction on a 1995 version of the law, clearing it for enforcement. In…

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Government of New Brunswick Will Not Appeal Morgentaler Ruling

This week, the provincial government of New Brunswick announced that it will not appeal the May 21 court decision granting NAF member Dr. Henry Morgentaler legal standing to challenge the province’s restrictive policy on abortion funding. This official acceptance of the May 21 appeals court decision means that Dr. Morgentaler’s lawsuit can move forward in…

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Judge to Hear Arguments in Case Challenging Oklahoma Ultrasound Law

This week, an Oklahoma County judge heard oral arguments in a legal challenge to a 2008 state law requiring women to undergo an ultrasound one hour prior to obtaining abortion care. The law also stipulates that women must listen to an explanation from the medical professional performing the ultrasound about what the image shows. In…

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Federal Judge Upholds Oakland Bubble Zone Ordinance

Tuesday, a federal judge ruled that a 2008 Oakland city ordinance barring abortion protesters from coming within eight feet of women entering and exiting abortion clinics is constitutional. Anti-abortion protester Walter Hoye challenged the ordinance’s constitutionality, and claimed that police applied it unfairly to anti-abortion protesters after he was cited for violating the ordinance last…

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Senate Begins Debate on Sotomayor

Yesterday, the Senate started its formal debate on Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor. The Supreme Court plays a critically important role in protecting a woman’s right to safe and legal abortion care, and NAF has been closely following the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor over the past several weeks. When responding to questions from…

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NAF Member Clinic Moves to Block Ultrasound Law

NAF member Red River Women’s Clinic in Fargo, ND has filed a lawsuit to block part of a new state law that requires providers to offer all patients the option to view an ultrasound image 24 hours prior to obtaining abortion care. While a woman should have the option to view such an image, legislation…

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U.S. Appeals Court Upholds Illinois Parental Notification Law

A U.S. Appeals Court ruled last week that an Illinois law requiring doctors to notify a parent or adult family member at least 48 hours prior to a minor obtaining abortion care is constitutional. The three-judge panel found that state Supreme Court rules, which establish judicial procedures for an expedited bypass hearing, satisfy minors’ constitutional…

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U.S. House of Representatives Lifts DC Abortion Ban

Yesterday, we released the following statement commending the U.S. House of Representatives for lifting a longstanding ban that prohibits DC from using its locally raised revenue to help low-income women obtain the abortion care they need: This prohibition interfered with the rights of DC residents and has effectively prevented the DC government from assessing and…

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Arizona Governor Approves Abortion Restrictions

On Monday, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) approved a measure establishing new mandates and restrictions on abortion in the state. One of the provisions requires that all women wait 24 hours after receiving state-mandated information to obtain abortion care. This type of biased counseling legislation is medically unnecessary and does not respect women. Abortion providers…

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