Ferguson sues: Trump 'conscience rule' imperils poor, rural women
The state of Washington is mounting a federal court challenge to the Trump administration's "conscience rule" that allows health care professionals broad discretion to refuse care to patients for religious or moral reasons.
With a lawsuit filed in Spokane, the state argues that the rule, if implemented, would jeopardize access to reproductive care, hit hard at low-income women and rural families, and deny care to members of the LGBTQ community.
The suit charges that the rule is so sloppily written that it makes no exception for the handling of medical emergencies or provision of care when a medical professional opts out.
"All Washingtonians deserve to receive the full range of health care services: This new rule will disproportionately harm rural and working poor families who have no alternative to their local health care providers," Attorney General Bob Ferguson said in a statement.
https://www.seattlepi.com/local/politics/article/Ferguson-sues-Trump-conscience-rule-imperils-13902071.php?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailynewsletterspi&utm_term=spi