Judge voids Trump rule protecting doctors, nurses from being forced to do abortions

U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer ruled Wednesday that the Trump administration cannot enforce a rule protecting healthcare workers from being forced to participate in abortions, claiming it was “unconstitutional.” In May, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized the rule, which “ensures that HHS implements the full set of tools appropriate for enforcing” laws that exempt healthcare workers from “having to provide, participate in, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for, services such as abortion, sterilization, or assisted suicide.” It also “clarifies what covered entities need to do to comply with applicable conscience provisions,” “requires applicants for HHS federal financial assistance to provide assurances and certifications of compliance,” and “specifies compliance obligations for covered entities.” Twenty-three states and municipalities sued, leading to the latest ruling, Reuters reports.