(NewsNation) — A federal court blocked enforcement of a legal opinion that would have prohibited health care providers from referring patients for abortions in other states.
The opinion from Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador claimed the state’s abortion ban extended to referrals made to out-of-state providers.
Idaho health care providers sought the emergency action, with support from neighboring states like Washington, which argued it would infringe on their citizens.
“Providers shouldn’t face the threat of punishment for helping their patients obtain the abortion care they need in states where abortion is legal,” said American Civil Liberties Union staff attorney Meagan Burrows.
After filing the opinion in March, Labrador pulled it for procedural reasons after the lawsuit was filed. However, he refused to renounce the contents of the letter or say he would not attempt to enforce the state’s ban against providers who made referrals for out-of-state procedures.
The court found the interpretation of the ban violated provider’s First Amendment rights by infringing on their ability to provide critical medical information for their patients. The preliminary junction bans Idaho from sanctioning or prosecuting any provider who provides patients with information on abortion care outside the state.
