A Lewis and Clark District Court judge has blocked a new law requiring abortion providers to obtain a license that doesn’t currently exist.
The law would have otherwise gone into effect Oct. 1, likely forcing those providers to close.
Blue Mountain Clinic in Missoula and All Families Healthcare of Whitefish sued the state over the law passed last legislative session. They argue it unduly burdens access to abortion. The providers also offer reproductive health care and family medicine.
Judge Christopher Abbott wrote in his ruling that the case is far from over, but that the state has no compelling interest to require licenses from abortion providers when the state cannot yet issue any. He wrote the court must maintain the status quo while the constitutionality of law is hashed out.