Appeals court upholds Tennessee’s abortion waiting-period

By KIMBERLEE KRUESI
Associated Press

A federal appeals court has upheld Tennessee’s 48-hour waiting period for women seeking abortions. Justices on Thursday argued that opponents had failed to identify instances where a woman had been significantly burdened by the requirement. The decision comes after a lower federal court last year struck down the 2015 Tennessee law that requires those seeking an abortion to make two trips to a clinic — first for mandatory counseling and then for the abortion at least 48 hours later. The Center for Reproductive Rights, which had filed the lawsuit on behalf of several abortion providers, criticized the court’s ruling.