A Lewis and Clark District Court judge says he’ll likely decide in the coming days whether to block regulations on abortion providers passed by the last state Legislature.
Two Montana abortion providers asked judge Chris Abbott to block regulations that could take effect Nov. 20. The providers say they may have to shut down if that happens.
A 2023 law directed the state health department to adopt new licensing rules for health care providers that offer abortion services.
At a hearing on Friday, attorneys for All Families Healthcare in Kalispell and Blue Mountain Clinic in Missoula say they’ve been singled out as abortion providers. The rules don’t apply to clinics that offer similar types of care, like miscarriage management.
An attorney for the state said the rules are designed to ensure patient safety. However, he conceded that a few of the rules are overly stringent for small clinics.
The state attorney said he didn’t know how a new voter-approved constitutional amendment to protect abortion access affects the case. The amendment will take effect next July, pending election certification.
