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Federal Judge Again Blocks Arkansas Medication Abortion Law

Abortion Debate

A federal judge is again blocking Arkansas from enforcing a law that critics say makes the state the first in the nation to effectively ban abortion pills.

U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker on Monday granted a 14-day temporary restraining order preventing Arkansas from enforcing the restriction on how abortion pills are administered. The law says doctors who provide the pills must hold a contract with a physician with admitting privileges at a hospital who agrees to handle any complications.

The U.S. Supreme Court last month rejected Planned Parenthood's appeal to reinstate Baker's earlier order blocking the law. Planned Parenthood said its two facilities and another unaffiliated clinic in Little Rock have stopped offering medication abortions because of the restriction.

Baker said Monday that circumstances have changed since her initial ruling.

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