Madison to stop enforcing buffer zones around clinics

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The city of Madison will stop enforcing an ordinance that created a buffer zone around health clinics to protect patients and staff from protesters.

The U.S. Supreme Court last week struck down a 35-foot protest-free zone outside abortion clinics in Massachusetts.

The Wisconsin State Journal reports that Madison officials initially said the decision had no immediate impact on a city ordinance that creates a 100-foot buffer zone around any health care facility.

But City Attorney Michael May issued a memo Tuesday saying the high court’s decision in the Massachusetts case raised significant concerns about the validity of Madison’s ordinance. He says the city will continue to enforce a part of the ordinance that prevents people from physically obstructing others from attempting to enter health care facilities.