Clinics Close As Texas Abortion Fight Continues
The fight over abortion in Texas is being played out in federal court, where abortion rights activists are challenging a new state law.
The measure bans abortions at 20 weeks, adds building requirements for clinics and places more rules on doctors who perform abortions. Some clinics have shut down, saying they can't comply with the law set to go into effect Oct. 29.
Abortion rights activists call the new law a dramatic change that will affect all clinics across the state, including a huge Planned Parenthood facility in Fort Worth that opened in June.
It's a $6.5 million center with three surgical suites and 19,000 square feet of space, built specifically to meet the building standards that activists saw coming.
"You know, we did not think the laws would come as quickly as they did," says Ken Lambrecht, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas.
He says three nurses are required to be in the clinic when abortions are performed. The law also mandates the size of operating rooms, the type of ventilation systems and the width of the hallways.
"You could fit at least two gurneys in this hallway, and it's the size of many hospital corridors," he says. "And it's certainly not necessary for the procedure."
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