Today’s Medical Mystery: Why Did All Those Abortion Clinics in Texas Close?

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Today, the Supreme Court heard arguments about HB 2, a 2013 Texas law that requires (a) all abortion clinics to meet the standards of “ambulatory surgical centers,” and (b) all doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at a local hospital. Does this impose an undue burden on women seeking abortions? Hmmm:

Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, whom both sides consider pivotal to the outcome of the court’s most important abortion case in a generation, wondered whether it was possible to tell if the changes in Texas law were responsible for the closure of nearly half the state’s abortion clinics. He wondered if lower courts might need to hear more evidence.

Yeah, that’s a chin scratcher. Maybe all those clinics suddenly decided to close because they got great buyout offers from a national chain of Tex-Mex restaurants. I mean, it’s possible, right? We definitely need more evidence.

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BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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