Judge Extends Block on Abortion Waiting Period Law

U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb extended the temporary restraining order on an abortion waiting-period law in Wisconsin on Friday. She said the state must prepare materials for the abortion providers to distribute before the law can be enforced.

The law has had the restraining order on it since April 1996, when Gov. Thompson signed it into law and Planned Parenthood challenged it. Under the new law, physicians must provide state-published information 24 hours before a woman can get an abortion, except in cases of rape or incest. The State Department of Health and Human Services plans to have materials ready by the end of the year, which will include a list of county services for pregnant women and a brochure about fetal development. Crabb denied Planned Parenthood's request to further block the enforcement of the law until they reviewed the material for accuracy.

Media Resources: AP - October 3, 1997

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