Judge halts enforcement of S.D. abortion law; hearing on Kansas law today

MSNBC: Judge Blocks New SD Abortion Law From Taking Effect
A federal judge on Thursday barred a tough new South Dakota abortion law from taking effect while it's being challenged in court. The law, which would have taken effect Friday, requires women seeking abortions to face a three-day waiting period and undergo counseling at pregnancy help centers that discourage abortion. The waiting period would have been the longest in the nation. Also taking effect Friday is a strict new licensing law for abortion providers in Kansas. On Thursday, the state avoided becoming the first state without an abortion provider by granting a license to a Planned Parenthood clinic. The law's regulations also are being challenged in federal court (6/30).

The New York Times: Kansas Gives License To One Abortion Clinic
Ending speculation that new regulations could make it the only state without an abortion provider, Kansas announced Thursday that it had issued a license that would allow one of three abortion clinics to continue operating. The license was awarded to Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, for a Kansas City-area clinic, the largest in the state. The other two providers, which previously said they were unable to meet the requirements, will be in federal court on Friday to seek an injunction to keep the law from taking effect (Sulzberger, 6/30).

The Associated Press/NPR: Kan. Planned Parenthood Gets Abortion Reprieve
Kansas avoided becoming the first state in the country without an abortion provider by granting Planned Parenthood a license Thursday to continue performing abortions under new regulations being challenged in federal court (6/30).

Kansas City Star: Kansas Health Regulators Grant Last-Minute License To Planned Parenthood
Amid a firestorm of litigation, Kansas health regulators late this afternoon granted a Planned Parenthood clinic a license to perform abortion under new permitting rules being imposed by the state. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said it had issued one license, but did not identify the clinic. However, Peter Brownlie of Planned Parenthood confirmed that his organization had obtained a license (Cooper, 6/30).

Kansas City Star: Abortion Showdown Set For Friday Afternoon
A hearing has been scheduled in federal court for 3 p.m. in the case that pits two Kansas City-area abortion clinics against the state in its efforts to impose new rules on abortion clinics. The state has until 6 p.m. today to respond to the cases brought by Aid for Women in Kansas City, Kan. and two physicians who perform abortions at an obstetrics and gynecological clinic in Overland Park (Cooper, 6/30).