"It sure smacks of defiance to this court," Reeves said. The Mississippi law says physicians who perform abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected could face revocation of their state medical licenses. Hillary Schneller, an attorney for the Center for Reproductive Rights, said the Mississippi law is "clearly unconstitutional" because it bans abortion before viability. "When a fetal heartbeat is detected, our position is it is constitutional" to prohibit abortion, Barnes said. If Reeves temporarily blocks the new Mississippi law, he would hear arguments later on the larger question of constitutionality.

Source: ABC News May 21, 2019 05:03 UTC