Alabama’s New Woman, All Women abortion clinic was ordered to close its doors Thursday after Birmingham Judge Joseph Boohaker ruled the facility was operating illegally.
A 22-page court ruling handed down by the court stated that, according to Alabama law, the clinic has been operating as a hospital, performing operations without a valid license from the Alabama State Board of Health.
Several people were named as defendants in the case, including Dr. Bruce Norman and Diane Derzis, who are listed as owners of abortion facilities in Birmingham, Ala. and Jackson, Miss. respectively.
Norman testified that he performed abortions at the Birmingham facility as well as clinics in Montgomery, Ala. and Jackson, Miss.
An additional deciding factor in the court’s ruling was the number of abortions the clinic was performing each month.
Norman told the court that his facility was open one day every other week and that he was performing up to 14 abortions per day. Alabama law states that a license is required if 30 or more abortions are completed two months out of a given year. The court found that the facility was open up to three days per month.
Court records stated that “the Defendant ha[d] already performed 30 or more abortion procedures rendering the Birmingham Facility an abortion or reproductive health center” under state law, therefore requiring a license from the Alabama Department of Public Health.
“Alabama Citizens for Life is delighted common sense prevailed by the judge ruling in favor of the ADPH recommendation to shut down an unsafe, unlicensed facility.” Cheryl Ciamarra, Legislative Director for Alabama Citizens for Life told Yellowhammer News. “This case highlights the need for legislation to reduce the number of abortions allowed in unregulated locations.”
Ciamarra said state law allows any of Alabama’s 4,000 licensed physicians to perform any abortion procedure under five months in their office unregulated. She’s pushing for increased reporting and safety regulations.
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