The Supreme Court appeared ready during oral arguments Wednesday to strike down Colorado’s “bubble zone” law restricting aggressive demonstrations around abortion clinics and other health care facilities.
But if the law goes down, credit a creative hypothetical from Justice Anthony Kennedy for its demise, more than any lawyer’s oral advocacy. The 1993 law says that on public sidewalks and roads within 100 feet of the entrance of any health care facility in Colorado, anyone seeking to leaflet, protest, or educate must seek consent before entering an eight-foot zone around a targeted person. The law was aimed at aggressive anti-abortion demonstrations, but applies to all medical facilities — ranging from hospitals to a mere doctor’s office — and to all types of unsolicited communication.
