The Quickie: Texas District Court Blocks Approval of Mifepristone in Dangerous, Unprecedented Move

Welcome to “The Quickie” — Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s daily tipsheet on the top health care & reproductive rights stories of the day. You can read “The Quickie'' online here.

In today’s Quickie: PP reacts to ruling in AHM v. FDA, RSVP for a 1 PM ET press call TODAY, and our weekly state fights lookahead. 

TEXAS DISTRICT COURT BLOCKS APPROVAL OF MIFEPRISTONE IN DANGEROUS, UNPRECEDENTED MOVE: On Friday evening, a federal judge in Texas blocked FDA’s approval of mifepristone, threatening the 22-year approval of one of two medications used in the most common medication abortion regimen in the United States. However, the judge also stayed the decision to give the federal government seven days to appeal, which means that for now, approval of mifepristone remains protected. Shortly after the decision, the Department of Justice, who is representing the FDA, announced it will appeal the decision to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. On Friday, Planned Parenthood’s president Alexis McGill Johnson reacted, saying:

“The judge's decision in Texas today blocking the FDA’s approval of mifepristone is an outrage and exposes the weaponization of our judicial system to further restrict abortion nationwide… But we should all be enraged that one judge can unilaterally reject medical evidence and overrule the FDA’s approval of a medication that has been safely and effectively used for more than two decades. This decision could threaten the FDA’s role in this country’s public health system, and — if allowed to stand — will have broad and unprecedented consequences that reach far beyond abortion."

Separately, a district court judge in Washington issued a preliminary injunction in a case brought by attorney generals from 17 states and the District of Columbia, which challenges the FDA’s restrictions on mifepristone (REMS). That order prevents the FDA from taking actions that  limit the drug’s availability in those jurisdictions. These opposing rulings have set the stage for a legal battle over access to mifepristone. 

In response to the decisions, Planned Parenthood and its allies are hosting a press call today at 1 PM ET. 

WHAT: Press call on the impact of Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk’s decision in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA

WHO:

• Jennifer Dalven, Director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project
• Nancy Northup, President and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights
• Alexis McGill Johnson, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America
• Mini Timmaraju, President of NARAL Pro-Choice America
• Morgan Hopkins, President of All* Above All

WHEN: TODAY, Monday, April 10 at 1 PM ET

RSVP: CLICK HERE TO RSVP

STATE FIGHTS LOOK AHEAD: This week, Nebraska and Florida are expected to advance six-week abortion bans.

• The Colorado Assembly has passed the Safe Access to Protected Health Care package sending it to the governor’s desk for approval. The measures (SB 188, 189, and 190) include provisions mitigating the threat to providers of and patients receiving abortion and gender-affirming care of harassing interstate lawsuits and other targeted measures; closing gaps in insurance coverage for abortion and sexually transmitted infections, including coverage for travel for abortion; and regulating anti-abortion fake clinics. 
• The Nevada Senate Commerce and Labor Committee has passed Provisions Relating to Reproductive Health Care (SB131), legislation that aimed at protecting abortion providers and patients in the state, including by limiting licensure penalties and Nevada’s involvement in investigations commenced by other states . The bill now moves on to a Senate floor vote.
• New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a bill that protects medical providers from out-of-state attempts at extradition and prosecution efforts related to abortion care. 
• The Florida House is expected to vote on HB7 this week, a proposed six-week abortion ban. The Senate passed its version of the bill last week.
• On Wednesday, Nebraska lawmakers will be debating LB626, a proposed six-week abortion ban. The bill needs to pass three votes in the unicameral legislative body before moving to the governor’s desk. 
• Arkansas lawmakers passed HB1468, an anti-LGBTQ bill that would require parental consent for teachers and school administrators to use the correct name and pronouns for trans students. HB1468 also prohibits schools from requiring that teachers and administrators respect the pronouns of trans and gender non-conforming students. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk for final approval.
• An anti-trans school bill (HB105) will be heard on Thursday in a special committee hearing in Alaska. On the proactive side, an LGBTQ+ non-discrimination bill will be heard in the House Community & Regional Affairs committee on Tuesday and a bill to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months continues to advance.