N.Y. joins 21 other states in Miss. abort law challenge

New York joined a coalition of 21 states Friday to challenge a Mississippi law that would make it illegal for doctors in the deep red state to perform abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

Letitia James, the attorney general of New York, announced that the Empire State submitted a motion of support with 20 other state AGs in a lawsuit filed by Mississippi’s last abortion clinic, Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

The clinic is trying to block Mississippi’s health department from enforcing the socalled House Bill 1510, which was imposed in March 2018 and banned any abortion services after the 15th week of pregnancy.

The Jackson Women’s Health Organization won a permanent injunction against the anti-abortion bill in November, but the Mississippi Department of Health appealed the ruling in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, contending that the state should be allowed to implement the measure.

“A woman’s right to access safe and effective abortion services is unquestionably protected under the United States Constitution, yet far too often, we see attempts by certain states to undermine this right,” James (photo) said in a statement.

“I will continue to work with other attorneys general to ensure that women’s health and constitutional rights are protected from extremist laws and ideologies.”

The other states joining James in backing up the abortion clinic are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Washington, D.C.