Federal judges in Ohio, Texas and Alabama have temporarily blocked efforts to ban abortions during the coronavirus pandemic.
In Ohio, a judge responsed to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and other to prevent the state from closing six clinics as part of its coronavirus order banning elective surgeries. Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles reports.
The ACLU of Ohio, Planned Parenthood Federation and others sued on behalf of the six facilities that perform surgical abortions. Jessie Hill, an attorney for the ACLU, said the state's order is vague.
“We have been unable to get assurances from the Ohio Department of Health that what we are doing is in compliance with the policy and we are concerned about the lack of clarity.”
In recent days, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost had ordered the facilities to close, saying they were violating the coronavirus order. In a written statement, Yost now says the state will take the course of legal action that will most quickly achieve that goal.
