Steep Court Costs For States Defending New Abortion Limits

States often find the cost of defending new abortion limits in court can run in the millions. In the meantime, Calif. lawmakers have passed a bill that would allow some nurses to perform certain abortions.

The Washington Post's Gov Beat: Defending Abortion Limits Can Cost States Millions
Passing a controversial bill is just the first step. Then come the legal costs. Just last week, Idaho was ordered to cover the $376,000 in legal fees a woman there spent on suing the state after she was charged for an illegal abortion, according to the Associated Press. Combined with its past defense of abortion limits, the state has shelled out more than $1 million since 2000 (Chokshi, 8/26).

Bloomberg: California Senate Bill Allows Nurses To Perform Abortions
California's Senate gave final approval to a bill allowing nurse-midwives and others perform some types of abortions now done only by doctors.  The measure by Assembly Majority Leader Toni Atkins, a San Diego Democrat, passed the Senate 25-11 yesterday. The bill goes back to the Assembly, which passed it in May, to ratify amendments before it's sent to Governor Jerry Brown, a Democrat (Marois, 8/27).