MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and ACLU of Alabama presented arguments today at the 11th Circuit in West Alabama Women’s Center v. Miller, a case focusing on an Alabama state law prohibiting the use of dilation and evacuation (D&E), a medically-proven practice for performing abortions.
The ban creates an undue burden on the constitutionally protected right of women to seek an abortion in Alabama.
Randall Marshall, executive director at the ACLU of Alabama:
“This medically unnecessary ban on a standard practice ties doctors’ hands and denies women the ability to receive safe, accepted care. This is an example of politicians telling doctors how to treat their patients based on political ideologies, not rigorous medical research. Alabama women need the best treatment, and Alabama doctors need to be able to provide it.”
Alexa Kolbi-Molinas, senior staff attorney at the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project:
“This ban of a safe and medically proven method of abortion is part of a larger strategy to eliminate the fundamental right to abortion. Not only would it severely restrict access in Alabama--it is one more step in the anti-abortion scheme to push abortion out of reach nationwide.
Anti-abortion politicians have already passed more than 400 state restrictions on abortion since 2011. Their strategy is to keep layering restriction upon restriction to make it impossible for a woman to get an abortion if she needs one."
More information about the case can be found here: https://www.aclualabama.org/en/cases/west-alabama-womens-center-v-williamson