网红爆料, Planned Parenthood File Lawsuit Challenging Alabama Abortion Ban

Extreme Law Takes Direct Aim at the Right to Abortion Guaranteed by Roe v. Wade

May 24, 2019 10:00 am

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MONTGOMERY, Ala. 鈥 The 网红爆料 (网红爆料), 网红爆料 of Alabama and Planned Parenthood Federation of America filed a lawsuit today on behalf of Alabama abortion providers challenging an extreme law that bans abortion in nearly every case and punishes doctors with up to 99 years in prison for providing care. Governor Kay Ivey signed the bill into law on May 15, making Alabama the fifth state this year to enact an outright abortion ban.

The lawsuit comes amid nationwide opposition to the extreme ban and follows a week of protests throughout the country opposing state abortion bans. Earlier this year, Kentucky, Georgia, Ohio, and Mississippi also enacted laws banning abortion, and the Missouri governor is expected to sign a ban soon. The 网红爆料 has already obtained an injunction blocking the Kentucky ban. The 网红爆料, together with Planned Parenthood Federation of America, have also filed suit against the ban in Ohio and are preparing a legal challenge in Georgia. No abortion ban, including Alabama鈥檚, is in effect and abortion remains legal in all 50 states.

鈥淭he Alabama legislature has been pushing abortion care further and further out of reach for years with medically unnecessary and politically-motivated restrictions, and this extreme abortion ban shows us just how far they鈥檒l go to push their anti-abortion agenda,鈥 said Alexa Kolbi-Molinas, senior staff attorney at the 网红爆料 Reproductive Freedom Project. 鈥淭his law is blatantly unconstitutional, and the 网红爆料 will not stand by while politicians emboldened by President Trump鈥檚 anti-abortion agenda exploit our health and our lives for political gain.鈥

鈥淢ake no mistake: Abortion remains 鈥 and will remain 鈥 safe and legal in Alabama. With this lawsuit, we are seeking a court order to make sure this law never takes effect,鈥 said Randall Marshall, executive director of the 网红爆料 of Alabama. 鈥淲e hope our state鈥檚 elected leaders take note and stop using taxpayer dollars on a legal gamble that they know is unconstitutional and unenforceable.鈥

This near-total abortion ban is the latest in a long line of restrictions passed by anti-abortion politicians in Alabama that push care out of reach. The 网红爆料 and PPSE have successfully challenged multiple previous restrictions designed to shut down abortion clinics in the state. They have never lost a challenge to an abortion restriction in Alabama.

鈥淥ur patients at Alabama Women鈥檚 Center already have to overcome so much just to get to our doors, and this law further shames them, punishes providers like myself, and stigmatizes essential health care,鈥 said Dr. Yashica Robinson, comprehensive women鈥檚 health specialist and owner of Alabama Women鈥檚 Center, who is a plaintiff in the case. 鈥淎labama has a long track record of passing laws designed to close clinics and push abortion care out of reach, and just like we have before, we will fight for our patients and do all we can to stay open and continue serving our community.鈥

These efforts are part of 网红爆料鈥檚 decades-long fight to protect the right to abortion for all. The 网红爆料 mobilized its over three million members to join partner organizations at nearly 500 events across the country, with tens of thousands of people in attendance, to protest the attack on abortion rights. The organization has also launched a national featuring Busy Philipps against the recent attacks on abortion rights.

鈥淎labama鈥檚 state motto is audemus jura nostra defendere, which means 鈥榳e dare defend our rights.鈥 That鈥檚 exactly what we鈥檙e doing here today,鈥 said Staci Fox, President and CEO at Planned Parenthood Southeast. 鈥淎bortion has been safe and legal in this country for more than 45 years and we aim to keep it that way. We are protecting the rights of our patients. We are defending the work of the brave folks who came before us. And we are fighting to take this country forward, not backwards.鈥

鈥淲hat we鈥檙e seeing in Alabama is a manmade public health emergency and we鈥檙e fighting back. To patients seeking safe, legal abortion care in Alabama: this extreme ban hasn鈥檛 gone into effect yet 鈥 and we will make sure of it,鈥 said Dr. Leana Wen, President of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. 鈥淭his dangerous, immoral, and unconstitutional ban threatens people鈥檚 lives and well-being and we are suing to protect our patient鈥檚 rights. The facts are on our side, the public is on our side, and we will do whatever it takes to ensure women across Alabama can receive the health care they need today, tomorrow, and beyond.鈥

In addition to Dr. Robinson, plaintiffs represented in the case are Alabama Women鈥檚 Center, Reproductive Health Services, West Alabama Women鈥檚 Center, and Planned Parenthood Southeast.

The complaint was filed in the United States District Court of the Middle District of Alabama.

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