For the second time in little over a week, the U.S. Supreme Court has refused to review Oklahoma's defense of an anti-abortion law struck down by that state's highest court.
The justices denied review in Pruitt v. Nova Health Systems, in which the state sought to resurrect its law requiring doctors to perform either a vaginal or abdominal ultrasound, with a simultaneous explanation to the pregnant woman of what the ultrasound is depicting, before an abortion may be performed.
The denial of review leaves in place the ruling by the Oklahoma Supreme Court striking down the ultrasound law as "facially unconstitutional" under the U.S. Supreme Court's 1992 decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey.
The justices last week also had declined to review the state high court's invalidation of Oklahoma's restrictions on medication abortions in Cline v. Oklahoma Coalition for Reproductive Justice.
The challenges to the ultrasound and medication abortion laws were brought by the Center for Reproductive Rights.
"This decision is another victory for women and reproductive health care providers, and another clear message to lawmakers across the U.S. that attacks on women's health, rights, and dignity are patently unconstitutional and will not be allowed to stand," said Nancy Northrup, president of the Center in a statement. "A woman's personal, private medical decisions should be made in consultation with the health care professionals she trusts, without interference by politicians who presume to know better."
Comments