Federal judge blocks key parts of Florida abortion law from being implemented

Rss@dailykos.com (kerry Eleveld) · Friday, July 01, 2016, 5:04 pm

Following on the heels of the Supreme Court's game-changing abortion ruling, a federal judge on Thursday blocked key parts of a restrictive new Florida law from going into effect.

Much like in Texas, Florida lawmakers argued that safeguarding women's health was their primary objective when they deprived Planned Parenthood of $500,000 in funding for health screenings and other programs. U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle roundly rejected that contention, reports Gary Fineout.

Hinkle in his ruling said the provision is "based not on any objection to how the funds are being spent ... but solely because the recipients of the funds choose to provide abortions separate and apart from any public funding."

"The Supreme Court has repeatedly said that a government cannot prohibit indirectly — by withholding otherwise-available public funds — conduct that the government could not constitutionally prohibit directly," Hinkle wrote.

Hinkle also blocked enforcement of another part of the new law that would have required an annual state inspection of the medical records of half of all clinic patients, which Planned Parenthood estimated would be about 35,000 people a year. Hinkle did leave intact a provision that redefines dates of gestation and pregnancy trimesters, which could affect when abortions can be performed. Hinkle said he did so because state officials insisted the change would not have any impacts, though Planned Parenthood had argued the change was yet another attempt to limit abortions.

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