Planned Parenthood announced it will erect a $5 million abortion clinic in San Antonio, Texas, amid new safety laws regulating the controversial practice. According to the Associated Press, the facility will adhere to regulations that go into effect on September 1, requiring abortion clinics to at least meet the safety standards of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs).
Reports state that so far, $3.5 million have been raised to build the new mega-clinic, according to the AP.
Critics of the new laws claim that access to abortions is severely limited in rural areas. Emily Horne, Legislative Associate at Texas Right to Life told Breitbart Texas, “Planned Parenthood always complains that there are only ASCs in five Texas cities–they’ve made such a fuss about there not being one in rural parts of the state like the Rio Grande Valley area. But then they go and build their new clinic in San Antonio, where there’s already an ASC.”
Horne pointed out that the already-existing clinic in San Antonio is not run by Planned Parenthood.
“This is likely more about market share than access–Planned Parenthood isn’t planning any centers in a rural area” she said.
Dr. Joe Pojman, Ph.D., Executive Director of Texas Alliance for Life, agreed that Planned Parenthood’s motives are likely profit-related.
“There are a lot of abortions to be sold in Texas,” he told Breitbart Texas. “During 2011 alone, there were 72,500 abortions in the state. Planned Parenthood has already invested in enormous abortion facilities in Houston, Austin, and Fort Worth. The fact that they are investing $5 million in a huge new abortion facility tells us that they are committed to being a major provider of abortions in Texas.”
As previously reported by Breitbart Texas, the state’s abortion safety measures were unanimously upheld by the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on March 27. The ruling overturns the San Antonio-based district court decision earlier in 2014 to block a number of the measures codified in 2013.
The federal appeals court ruled that state lawmakers have the right require safer circumstances under which a woman may receive an abortion. Dr. Pojman said, “In recent years, laws passed in Texas have been effective in ensuring that abortions are performed in a manner that protects the health and safety of women. The Fifth Circuit’s opinion sends a very powerful message that the court will uphold reasonable safety standards for performing abortions in the state.”
Texas Right to Life’s Horne pointed out that other U.S. states may follow suit in coming years. She said, “During the last four or five years, we have seen an immense wave of actions by state governments that said, ‘We’re a pro-life state and we want to reflect that in our laws.’ They’re tired of inaction by the federal government.”
Follow Kristin Tate on Twitter @KristinBTate
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