Judge denies request to immediately block Kan. abortion rule; Supreme Court refuses to enforce Texas sonogram law

The legal wrangling comes as both cases continue in court. Meanwhile, groups supporting abortion rights filed suit to overturn a new North Carolina law restricting access.

The Associated Press/Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Judge Refuses To Block Kan. Abortion Insurance Law
A federal judge refused Thursday to block a new Kansas law restricting insurance coverage for abortions, saying opponents failed to prove their claim that legislators' real intent was to create obstacles for women seeking abortions. The law prohibits insurance companies from offering abortion coverage as part of general health plans, except when a woman's life is at risk. Patients who want abortion coverage must buy supplemental policies, known as riders, covering only abortion (Hegeman, 9/29).

Kansas City Star: Judge Lets Kansas Abortion Law Stand During Court Challenge
A new Kansas law restricting insurance coverage for elective abortions will remain in effect while a court challenge proceeds. A federal judge on Thursday denied a request by the American Civil Liberties Union to temporarily block the law, which was passed by the Kansas Legislature this year (Cooper, 9/29).

The Dallas Morning News: SCOTUS Denies Texas AG Gambit To Enforce Sonogram Law
The Texas sonogram law, that was ruled unconstitutional before it could go into effect, will stay in legal limbo for the time being. U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks ordered the main provisions of the law were improper because they forced speech upon doctors, who could lose their license to practice medicine, if they failed to tell patients certain information -; even if the women didn't want to hear it or didn't medically need it. On Wednesday, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals refused to allow the law to go into effect pending appeals and on Thursday, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, acting on behalf of the high court, also refused to lift the lower court order (Hoppe, 9/29).

The Texas Tribune: Supreme Court Won't Reinstate Abortion Sonogram Law
This leaves state leaders little legal recourse to pursue while the law makes its way through the appeals system. The measure's opponents say that's as it should be (Ramshaw, 9/29).

Raleigh (N.C.) News and Observer: Suit Seeks To Block North Carolina's New Abortion Restrictions
Several national and state organizations sued in federal court Thursday to block North Carolina's new restrictions on abortions from going into effect next month. The lawsuit contends a requirement that a real-time ultrasound image of a woman's womb be displayed and narrated to women seeking abortions uses a woman's body to promote a government-mandated ideology. The suit also says the law is so poorly written that it is impermissibly vague and confusing (Jarvis, 9/29).