A federal judge has dismissed the governor and officials with three professional medical boards as defendants in a suit challenging a new Alabama law setting stricter regulations for abortion clinics.
U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson removed Gov. Robert Bentley as a defendant Tuesday based on an agreement by all parties. He removed officials with the state boards for nursing, medical licensure and medical examiners on Monday. Bentley's attorney maintained he had no role in enforcing the new law.
The dismissals don't change the suit because several public officials remain as defendants. Abortion clinics are challenging a part of the law that requires their doctors to have permission to admit patients to nearby hospitals.
The judge has put the law on hold temporarily while he considers the suit.
