A Utah judge halted a bill Tuesday that would have banned abortion clinics, like Planned Parenthood, in the Beehive State.
H.B. 467 Abortion Changes, which was signed by Republican Gov. Spencer Cox in March, would have prohibited the licensing of abortions after May 2, 2023, and only allow hospitals to perform them. It would have also prohibited abortion clinics from operating in Utah after Jan. 1, 2024. Just hours from the new law taking effect, Judge Andrew Stone blocked the bill, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. (RELATED: Utah Gov. Spencer Cox Signs Legislation Closing Abortion Clinics)
“The Clinic Ban places a greater burden on licensed abortion clinics by criminalizing abortions performed in such clinics despite the unrebutted evidence that abortions performed in an outpatient clinic are equally as safe as those performed in a hospital,” Judge Stone wrote, as reported by the Salt Lake Tribune.
Both Republican state Rep. Lisonbee and Republican state Sen. Dan McCay told Deseret News in a statement, “We are confident in the state’s position but respect the process of the courts and look forward to a prompt resolution.”
Utah Third District Court J… by
The Utah Attorney General’s Office also appealed Judge Stone’s injunction, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. The Utah Supreme Court is “reviewing the injunction of the trigger law,” according to the Utah AG’s Office.
“With these laws enjoined by Judge Stone, abortion clinics may currently provide elective abortions up to 18 weeks in a pregnancy,” the Utah AG’s Office stated.
“Judge Stone’s decision to enjoin yet another of Utah’s abortion legislation is tragic. Since his last ruling to override the will of the Utah State Legislature and the people of Utah, over 2, 534 babies have been killed by abortion. Ironically Judge Stone believes that the harm to Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics is greater than the harm of death to Utah’s unborn citizens,” Pro-Life Utah President, Mary Taylor, told the Daily Caller.