The Center for Reproductive Law and Policy (CRLP) filed a lawsuit and a temporary injunction this week against an Alabama law that requires abortion providers to give women information about abortion’s “risks” and “alternatives” 24 hours prior to an abortion. On behalf of six Alabama clinics and two physicians, CRLP argues that the so-called “Women’s Right to Know Act” is unconstitutional on several grounds – it violates women’s right to privacy, their right to liberty, and their right to make decisions unfettered by unwarranted government intrusion.
CRLP is also trying to win a temporary injunction against the law, which is scheduled to take effect on Oct. 14. The information the state will require doctors to provide to their patients is still in draft form, and it includes errors and misleading information, according to CRLP. If the materials are not ready by Oct. 14 and the law is in effect, abortion will effectively be rendered illegal in Alabama.
“The law is plainly designed to stop abortion services in Alabama,” argued Linda Rosenthal, a staff attorney for CRLP who is handling the case, in a CRLP media release. The law would have no positive health benefits, but would put additional burdens on women, especially women living far from the nearest clinic, who might have to take additional time of work and pay for travel or child care expenses, according to CRLP.
