Reproductive Rights Updates

Back in July I had posted about how the NC legislature overrode Gov. Perdue's veto of various abortion-related restrictions, one of which being a mandatory ultrasound law. A day before it was to become law, Judge Catherine C. Eagles put a temporary ban on the law:

In her opinion, Catherine C. Eagles, a judge with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, said the plaintiffs proved that their claims probably would be successful.

"Having demonstrated that the [law] likely poses a direct threat to their fundamental constitutional rights, the plaintiffs also have established that they would be irreparably harmed. Furthermore, it is in the public interest for statutes that likely violate fundamental constitutional rights to be enjoined from being enforced," she said.

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I don't even know what to say about this: Radical Anti-Choice Group Puts Out "All Points Bulletin" to "Track" Pregnant Woman. From Andy's post:

This is an All Points Bulletin – an APB! – issued by radical Wisconsin anti-choice group Vigil for Life to track down a pregnant woman seeking services at Planned Parenthood. Yes, you read that correctly.

The young woman came to Madison but by the time she arrived Planned Parenthood was closed. Unfortunately, Vigil for Life is setting up a crisis pregnancy center right across the street from the Planned Parenthood Clinic and was there to feed this young woman anti-choice propaganda. However, the young woman slipped away before the Vigil For Life volunteers got her name.

You should read the whole thing, though it is incredibly disturbing.

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In Missouri, a Planned Parenthood clinic is closing and merging with another:

COLUMBIA — The Jefferson City office of Planned Parenthood will close Nov. 30.

The services provided by the center, which was open on Tuesday and Thursday, will now be provided by the Columbia office on Providence Road, said Michelle Trupiano, spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of Kansas and mid-Missouri.

[...]

Jefferson City residents who cannot travel to Columbia for care can go to the Cole County Health Department to find another provider, Trupiano said.

"We don't believe there will be any women who will not be able to access services," she said.

Services offered at Planned Parenthood include cancer screenings, birth control, prevention and treatment of STDs, pap tests, sexual health education and counseling.

The consolidation will allow the Columbia center to extend its hours and schedule more appointments, Trupiano said.

"(Patients) will possibly be able to get in sooner," she said. "It will benefit them for the fact that when they call, they can get an appointment the same day."

Abortion services are still not able to be provided at the Columbia clinic because the doctor who provided them was recently called up to active duty and they have not yet found someone else.