Afederal judge in Kentucky has temporarily stalled the enforcement of a new abortion law being challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union.
The legislation signed into law by Gov. Matt Bevin bans a common second trimester abortion procedure known as “dilation and evacuation.” The procedure was used in 537 of 3,312 abortions done in Kentucky in 2016, according to state statistics. During legislative debates, the bill’s supporters called the procedure “gruesome.”
The ACLU of Kentucky sought the injunction in a suit this week, saying it would force women to go out of state to obtain the procedure.
The EMW Surgical Center in Louisville is Kentucky’s only remaining licensed abortion provider.
Featured image: the EMW Women’s clinic in Louisville is currently the only operating abortion clinic in Kentucky. This story has been updated.