Planned Parenthood Praises Keith Ellison's Decision On Abortion Ruling

MINNEAPOLIS — Planned Parenthood officials and other pro-abortion rights groups are celebrating after Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced that he will not appeal a recent court ruling that struck down most of the state's abortion restrictions.

"A costly appeal with little chance of success is clearly not in the best interest of people in Minnesota," said Sarah Stoesz, President of Planned Parenthood North Central States, in a statement.

"As the largest abortion provider in the state, Planned Parenthood now has the finality and legal certainty required for us to continue to provide our patients with high quality abortion care free of undue government interference."

On July 11, a Ramsey County judge ruled that Minnesota's mandatory 24-hour waiting period before an abortion, and the two-parent notification requirement for girls under the age of 18 before an abortion, violated the state constitution.

Judge Thomas Gilligan — a Mark Dayton appointee — also lifted a state law that said only physicians can perform abortions.

On Thursday, Ellison said he made the decision to not appeal the ruling.

"After three years of litigation in which my office and I thoroughly, vigorously, and faithfully defended the constitutionality of several state laws that regulate abortion, and after long and careful consideration of the district court's ruling and consultation with each of my co-defendants, I have decided not to appeal in the case of Doe vs. Minnesota," Ellison said.

Meanwhile, anti-abortion rights groups have called Gilligan's ruling "extreme" and state Republicans called on Ellison to challenge it.