Judge blocks Florida abortion law before it can take effect

florida abortion clinic
(Image credit: Getty Images)

A new Florida state law mandating that women wait 24 hours before getting an abortion was set to go into effect on Wednesday. But on Tuesday — just one day before — Chief Circuit Judge Charles Francis blocked it. After Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed the bill into law, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Center for Reproductive Rights filed a lawsuit on the grounds that the law interfered with a woman's right to privacy and to have an abortion. In the judge's opinion, state officials didn't exactly have evidence to prove the contrary.

This is the second ruling this week in favor of abortion rights. On Monday, a Supreme Court ruling blocked a lower court ruling that would have closed down all but a few Texas abortion clinics.

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