Alabama again denies application of would-be abortion clinic operator
By Joe Sutton, CNN
(CNN) - An abortion clinic in Birmingham, Alabama, remains closed after a state hearing officer denied a prospective new owner's appeal to reopen the facility, made famous in 1998 when it was bombed by Eric Robert Rudolph.
In April, state regulators ordered the New Woman All Women Health Care facility closed citing "multiple and serious violations of State Board of Health rules."
Then-owner Diane Derzis agreed to turn in the facility's license to operate and closed the clinic May 18. She said the problems at the clinic were documentation issues. No patients were ever in danger, she said in July.
She agreed to lease the building to Kelley Rain-Water, a friend, but the state denied Rain-Water's license application because of her relationship with Derzis.
Derzis owns three other abortion clinics, including the sole abortion facility in Mississippi, which has faced multiple closure attempts by the state.
Alabama legislature passes new immigration bill
By Joe Sutton and Gustavo Valdes, CNN
(CNN) - Alabama lawmakers passed a new bill Wednesday aimed at improving the state's controversial immigration law, but critics said the new measure might make things worse.
Demonstrators protested outside the chambers of the Alabama state House and Senate. Seven of them were arrested, said Justin Cox, staff attorney with the ACLU Immigrants Rights Project.
The Southern Poverty Law Center's legal director was among those arrested, said Marion Steinfels, a representative of the organization.
Police could not be immediately reached for comment.
The center is one of the plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit against Alabama's immigration law.
The new immigration bill, known as HB 658, was approved by the state House and Senate Wednesday.
The state's governor will have the final say, with the power to sign the bill into law or veto it.
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What defines you? Maybe it’s the shade of your skin, the place you grew up, the accent in your words, the make up of your family, the gender you were born with, the intimate relationships you chose to have or your generation? As the American identity changes we will be there to report it. In America is a venue for creative and timely sharing of news that explores who we are. Reach us at inamerica@cnn.com.
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