Groups sue to halt key parts of Texas abortion law

Groups sue to halt key parts of Texas abortion law

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — More than a dozen women’s health providers have filed a federal lawsuit to block key provisions of a new abortion law that threw the Texas Legislature into chaos as it was approved.

Planned Parenthood, the Center for Reproductive Rights and the American Civil Liberties Union teamed up with the providers to sue Texas.

They filed their challenge today in Austin.

The law requires doctors to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals, only allows abortions in surgical centers and bans the procedure after 20 weeks. It also limits medical abortions.

The measure passed after a much-watched Democratic filibuster and protests on both sides of the issue at the Capitol.

The suit seeks injunctions blocking rules mandating that physicians have hospital admitting privileges and limiting medical abortions. Both take effect Oct. 29.