On Monday, the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists filed an appeal on US District Court Judge Carlos Murguia’s decision to block the enforcement of a new Kansas anti-abortion law until the pending lawsuit is decided. The new restrictive legislation governing abortion clinics was signed into law by anti-abortion zealot Governor Sam Brownback (R). The law gives authority to the Department of Health and Environment to stipulate stringent and unnecessary building regulations that can result in closing the clinic if they are not met.
Bonnie Scott Jones, deputy of the Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR), representing the abortion providers in the case, remarked that she “felt confident” the judge’s ruling will not be appealed successfully. CRR also questions whether the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists have standing to appeal the ruling since it was not a party in the case. CRR will oppose the group’s efforts to intervene in the case.
The new regulations were sent out in mid-June by Brownback’s administration to abortion providers, which were then required to comply by July 1. The list of requirements is approximately 36 pages and stipulates hundreds of details including the minimum square footage of janitors’ closets and the temperature range for procedure and recovery rooms (68 to 73 degrees and 70 to 75 degrees, respectively).
