Justice
The Subtle Ways Cities Are Restricting Abortion Access
Using zoning laws and land-use codes, anti-abortion city leaders are shutting down clinics. Can reproductive rights activists beat them at their own game?
Almost as soon as the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision enshrined a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy in the first trimester, Cleveland, Ohio, found a subtle way to flout it.
In December, 1973—the same month and year Roe was confirmed—Cleveland’s City Council passed an ordinance that regulated which facilities could offer abortion services. Most were related to the medical procedure itself: guidelines around lab equipment, practitioners, and recovery facilities. To get a license to open, clinics would also have to undergo an inspection and pay a fee.