Statement on Supreme Court decision on Texas abortion law

Christopher Dodson, Executive Director of the North Dakota Catholic Conference issued this statement on the Supreme Court's decision to strike down a Texas law requiring abortion physicians to have admitting privileges at a local hospital.

Although today’s Supreme Court decision is a setback for women’s health and common sense, it should have no direct impact on North Dakota law.

The opinion upholds facts found by a trial court in Texas concerning a Texas law’s impact in Texas.  The facts are very different in North Dakota.  

To name just two of the many differences: the Texas law purportedly caused many abortion clinics to close.  No clinics have closed in North Dakota due to this state’s law.  In Texas, some abortion providers could not obtain admitting privileges.  All of North Dakota’s abortionists obtained admitting privileges at a local hospital.

North Dakota’s law has not placed an “undue burden” on women seeking abortion and has, if anything, furthered women’s health in cases of emergencies.

For further information, we concur with the statement of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on the Supreme Court decision: http:// www.usccb.org/news/2016/16-079.cfm

MEDIA: For more information, please contact:

Christopher Dodson
Executive Director
General Counsel
North Dakota Catholic Conference
103 South Third Street, Suite 10
Bismarck, ND  58501
701-223-2519
http://ndcatholic.org