CNA Staff, May 4, 2020 / 03:00 pm (CNA).- Arkansas’ only remaining abortion clinic is suing over a state rule that patients must test negative for COVID-19 within 48 hours of any elective surgery, claiming that a lack of testing is preventing women from availing themselves of abortions before the state’s 20-week limit.
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson had on April 3 suspended all elective surgeries throughout the state, with “non-medically necessary surgical abortions” included in that prohibition. Arkansas already has a 72 hour waiting period for abortions.
On April 27, the state modified the order to allow asymptomatic patients to have elective surgeries if they have had a negative COVID-19 NAAT (Nucleic Acid Amplification) test within 48 hours prior to the beginning of the procedure.
The requirement for COVID-19 testing applies across the board to all elective surgeries, Hutchinson has said.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas claims that the abortion clinic has contacted more than 15 testing locations but has been “unable” to find one that will test asymptomatic people and have results within 48 hours.
Despite the initial state order halting abortions, Arkansas health department inspectors on April 9 arrived at Little Rock Family Planning Services unannounced and found that the clinic was still performing surgical abortions.
The next day, the health department sent the clinic a cease-and-desist letter ordering a stop to surgical abortions “except where immediately necessary to protect the life or health of the patient.”
The Diocese of Little Rock’s Respect Life Office told CNA on April 16 of a “particularly troubling” increase in abortions at the clinic, especially by women traveling from neighboring Texas and Louisiana, states which have halted elective abortions.
Though a federal district court had on April 14 put a temporary restraining order on the state order stopping abortions, a federal appeals court on April 22 allowed the state order to go into effect.
Amid national lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, abortion has become a subject of national debate.
Pennsylvania governor Tom Wolf on May 2 vetoed a bill promoting the use of telemedicine during the pandemic because it did not include provisions for at-home abortions.
An amendment to SB 857 banned the use of telemedicine for procedures that are not approved under the Food and Drug Administration’s Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS).
The abortion pill is not approved under REMS and thus would not be allowed via telemedicine under the new bill. At-home medical abortions are already banned under Pennsylvania law.
At least eight states have enacted temporary bans on abortion during the coronavirus pandemic and are subsequently contending with legal challenges. Judges have prevented many of the temporary bans from coming into effect, and some of the temporary orders simply have expired.
Last month in Texas, the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that the state’s ban on elective abortions, including medical abortions, could be reinstated, though the order lasted only until April 22.
In Alaska, there was a move by state officials in early April to “delay” abortions until June, but Governor Mike Dunleavy on April 14 allowed elective procedures to resume in the state.
On April 12, a federal judge ruled that the state of Alabama cannot move to limit abortion procedures through measures intended to focus medical resources on fighting coronavirus. Governor Kay Ivey had issued a statewide order March 19 which stopped all medical procedures except for emergencies or those needed to “avoid serious harm from an underlying condition or disease, or necessary as part of a patient’s ongoing and active treatment.”
On April 17, a federal judge ruled that despite Tennessee’s temporary ban on nonessential medical procedures, the state must allow abortions to continue.
Governor Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma issued an executive order halting non-essential surgeries and minor medical procedures in the state during the COVID-19 pandemic, though that order only lasted until April 30.
In Ohio and Iowa, most surgical abortions are currently allowed despite state efforts to restrict them.
The Louisiana Department of Health on March 21 ordered all medical and surgical procedures be postponed until further notice, with exceptions for emergencies. Abortion clinics in the state have sued to block the measure.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves issued an executive order April 10 banning all “elective” medical procedures, including abortions, with the order expiring April 27.
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I like to know why I read this in the news and the diocese claims to be settling there claims. I have been. Upfront honest and Also investigated since the fall of. 2020
By the diocese and a special investigator that I had to tell every single detail too. And was going completely credible by every one in June 2021. And I can say the diocese did everything by the book. And I did get. A zoom meeting with the bishop and he did sincerely apologize and it helped me very much But as I have told the bishop office and my lawyer that I am now doing my best to recover and im in a pretty tough spot. As I cannot hold a job. And im in quite al a lot of pain. Pinched nerves arthritis in my neck that’s so bad some times i can’t do much. And i am tryin to also heal from the clergy abuse that I kept secret 40 yrs. So All that and now even behind on rent I could be homeless at my age. Again and I can’t get any help from the government there is no help for my situation age and pains recovering from all that. And The answers I’m getting are it may take maybe years before anything or any answers to the civil suit I filled last yr. Will be settled if there is any thing done at all to help me. To me some one is not telling the truth my lawyer says since last august there has not been one move forward what so ever.and I read the article that says the diocese is continuing to help the past survivors. I must be reading that wrong The most upsetting thing is I already have been investigated by the diocese and they had a board meeting and I was found credible and I have all the texts and emails. Why do I have to go live on the streets again. And maybe not live through that this time. I’m upset and not going to go quietly with out trying to let people know. That nothing Is moving forward with my suit. And I was investigated what about the other hundreds of people in the
Same spot. That are starting as of last august that are hurting. Isn’t there a time period that the church must respond and try to help us or there lawyers are that smart they can keep pushing this off as long as they want. Idk if that’s the case I guess I will never get help and they all hope I just die off and that’s it. I do not to let my brain work that way. Because as I sat the bishop was very kind and respectful to me but no one has offered me and kind of financial help or I definitely would have not filled a suit that I thought Atleast there was a fund set up to help us survivors. Get a chance to recover and not on a park bench. I don’t know what else to do or say. But if they diocese Is truly trying to hell us. They sure know how to get to my lawyer because I’m not aloud to talk to there lawyers. Or I would go Right down to there office and put them on the spot.
Thank you for listening and if there is anything I can do. Or make any statements about any of this. I don’t have much more to lose now. I think being homeless again is as far down i can go. Or death
I have tried to get help from every single government and state agencies. It seems As now there isn’t a type of funding for this sexual abuse yet in the data base. Especially after filling last year. Not one thing has been done to help the survivor as these law suits may drag on for years for some of us. Thank you for listening and I posted my fund page as it gives much more of my story.
https://gofund.me/dd2ca1c2
518-368-2856. Cell I will answer any questions i can If necessary