Battle continues for Toledo's last abortion clinic

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Supreme Court has upheld a state order shuttering Toledo’s last abortion clinic in a decision the facility is expected to appeal.

Justices ruled 5-2 Tuesday that the Ohio Department of Health acted within its rights in 2014 when it decided to shut down Capital Care of Toledo. Justices say the clinic violated a requirement because it no longer had a patient-transfer agreement with a local hospital.

Restrictions passed by Ohio lawmakers in 2013 mandated that those long-required transfer agreements be with local hospitals, and also barred public hospitals from providing them. The University of Toledo Hospital ended its transfer arrangement with Capital Care about two months before the law was enacted.

Lower courts ruled the restrictions unconstitutional and allowed the clinic to continue operating while the lawsuit proceeded.