Posted on 12/31/2002 1:56:54 PM PST by Dallas
AUSTIN, Texas --
The state is not constitutionally obligated to pay for abortions for poor women who may have health complications from their pregnancy, the Texas Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
The 8-0 ruling, with one abstention, upheld a state law that prohibits the use of Medicaid money for abortions except in cases of rape or incest or when the mother's life is in danger.
The state rules are patterned after federal law that restricts abortion spending.
The Texas court rejected a lawsuit filed by doctors and abortion providers who said the state should pay for abortions for poor women suffering from heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, epilepsy and other complications that may present health risks during a pregnancy.
The restriction is unfair to women, because men on Medicaid cannot be denied any "medically necessary" procedure, argued Bonnie Scott Jones, a lawyer for the New York-based Center for Reproductive Law and Policy.
Attorneys for the state contended the law does not discriminate against women.
"It's only those women who make that ultimate choice to have an abortion who are treated differently," Jeff Boyd said.
If anyone wants on or off my ProLife Ping List, please notify me here or by freepmail.
She's a whole lot easier to countenance (in more ways than one) than the NOW zealots in #19.
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