Texas May Owe Abortion Providers' Lawyers $4.5 Million

Texas Tribunal (Oct. 8, 2016): Texas May Owe Abortion Providers' Lawyers $4.5 Million, by Alexa Ura:

On Friday, the Center for Reproductive Rights filed a request for $4.5 million in attorney's fees and expenses incurred in successfully challenging Texas' House Bill 2, which required that all Texas abortion facilities meet ambulatory surgical center requirements and that all doctors performing abortions have admitted privileges at hospitals within 30 miles.  The provisions would have resulted in the closure of 75% of the state's abortion providers.

Defending of the unconstitutional law has  already cost taxpayers $1 million.The state’s legal costs in the case, Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, totaled $768,722. The state incurred an additional $311,355 in legal costs defending an earlier challenge to the admitting privilege provision.

While the ruling was a major victory for Texas abortion providers, they’re still grappling with the trail of shuttered clinics left in wake of House Bill 2. At the time of the ruling, only 19 abortion clinics — of the more than 40 that were open before HB 2 passed — remained open.