The US Supreme Court has handed a victory to abortion rights advocates, striking down a Texas law imposing strict regulations on abortion doctors and facilities.
The 5-3 ruling overnight held that the Republican-backed 2013 law, placed an undue burden on women exercising their constitutional right to end a pregnancy, established in the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.
The normally nine-justice member court was one member short after the February 13 death of conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, who consistently opposed abortion in past rulings.
Conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy joined liberal members of the court in ruling that both key provisions of the law violate a woman’s constitutional right to obtain an abortion.