MADISON, Wis. — A federal judge refused Wednesday to lift his temporary hold on a new requirement that Wisconsin abortion providers have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals.
U.S. District Judge William Conley issued his stay last week, three days after Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin and Affiliated Medical Services filed a lawsuit alleging the requirement would force two abortion clinics in Appleton and Milwaukee to close.
Conley’s order affects only those two clinics and will dissolve after two weeks. The groups are seeking a preliminary injunction that would invalidate the requirement through the end of a trial. Conley indicated he planned to rule on the injunction before the stay ends and scheduled the trial for Nov. 25.
Republicans who control the Legislature passed a bill setting up the requirement last month in nine days, without any Democratic support. Republican Gov. Scott Walker signed it into law on July 5.
The law also requires women to undergo an ultrasound before getting an abortion. That mandate remains in effect.
Planned Parenthood and Affiliated Medical Services filed their lawsuit the day Walker signed the bill. Planned Parenthood said the admitting privileges requirement would force its Appleton clinic to close because providers there lack admitting privileges at local hospitals. Affiliated Medical Services made the same contention about its Milwaukee clinic.
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