TIME00453

USA: In a milestone decision, the Supreme Court struck down parts of a restrictive 2013 Texas law that could have drastically reduced the number of abortion clinics in the state. The decision concerned two parts of the law: (1) the part requiring all clinics in the state to meet the standards for ambulatory surgical centers, including regulations concerning buildings, equipment, and staffing, and (2) the part requiring doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. According to the Court, the claimed benefits of theses restrictions outweighed the burdens they placed on constitutional rights.