Like other states with conservative, anti-abortion legislatures, Alabama adopted a new law (pdf) this week that could result in the closure of the state’s remaining clinics that offer abortion services.

Beginning in July, doctors who perform abortions must have hospital admitting privileges, under the new law.

Currently, there are only five licensed abortion clinics operating in Alabama, and none of them hire doctors with hospital admitting privileges.

Pro-choice advocates say it is unnecessary for clinics to have doctors working at hospitals because so few abortions these days result in medical emergencies (about one out of 160,000 procedures).

Other states to mandate hospital admitting privileges for abortion clinics include Arizona, Kansas, Tennessee, Utah, North Dakota and Mississippi.

Mississippi is reportedly the only other state to use its state law to justify closing the last abortion clinic in that state.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

Alabama Governor Signs Bill That May Close State’s Few Remaining Abortion Clinics (by Stephen C. Webster, Raw Story)

Governor Bentley Signs Women’s Health and Safety Act (Office of the Governor, State of Alabama)

Bill HB-57 (pdf)

Family Planning Budget Cuts in Texas Lead to Increase in Poor Women having Babies (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov) 

Virginia Health Commissioner Resigns over New Abortion Clinic Regulations (by Noel Brinkerhoff and David Wallechinsky, AllGov)  

Kansas Relents and Allows a Single Abortion Provider in the State, but That’s Not Good Enough for the Judge (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)