Good news -- a federal district judge has temporarily blocked the new regulation requiring burials or cremations for fetal remains.
Judge Sam Sparks of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas ruled on Thursday than an agency rule requiring health care providers to cremate or bury fetal remains will not go into effect before he rules on the case, which will likely be in early January. According multiple reports, Sparks set hearings for Jan. 3 and will likely rule before Jan. 6.
Whether Judge Sparks ultimately rules for or against the new big (Republican) government regulation, the decision will likely be appealed to a higher court and, although it may seem to be unrelated at first glance, the outcome of this case could have implications for a new regulation that was recently passed in Oklahoma.
In Texas, healthcare providers will be required to pay for the burial or cremation of fetal remains. In Oklahoma, healthcare providers will be required to pay for signs that urge women not to have an abortion.
In either case, the regulations are a burden that have no impact on public safety or health and may violate the First Amendment.