The Department of State Health Services announced Friday the closure of a women’s health care clinic in Houston that performed abortions in violation of the state's new restrictions for such facilities.
According to records obtained from Texas Medical Board, Dr. Theodore M. Herring Jr. performed 268 abortions at A Affordable Women's Medical Center between Nov. 6, 2013 and Feb. 7, 2014 without admitting rights at a nearby hospital, a restriction now required under the new Texas abortion law.
The medical board has also revoked Herring's medical license.
"We visited the facility in December on a complaint investigation and discovered the violations and revoked the facility's ability to provide abortions," said Carrie Williams with the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Williams said the state attempted to work with the Houston abortion clinic, giving them two months to obtain admitting privileges.
"In this instance the corrections weren’t made and that’s why we revoked the license," Williams said.
A Affordable Women’s Medical Clinic will be able to provide the state any changes it has made in order to comply with the law at special hearing in the next two weeks.
Also in the next two weeks, the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals is expected to hand down a decision in a case challenging the constitutionality of the law.
