Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold Wisconsin’s 2013 Act 37.
The law requiring abortion doctors to have admitting privileges in local hospitals went into effect in July 2013 but was immediately enjoined by U.S. District Court Judge William Conley in Madison, pending the outcome of a lawsuit. A federal appeals court ruled the same way in December.
The state Justice Department wants the law in place while a federal court considers a lawsuit against the requirement. Planned Parenthood and Affiliated Medical Services and ACLU say if doctors needed hospital privileges, some of abortion clinics would have to shut down. And there would no longer be facilities north of Madison.
The case is set for trial in May of this year.