The Illinois Appellate Court on Friday continued to block the enforcement of the Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act, which would require that a parent or guardian be notified 48 hours before a child under 18 has an abortion. The debate will now head back to Cook County Circuit Court, where a trial will determine whether the legislation violates the state constitution.

The Illinois Legislature passed the act in 1995, but it quickly became the subject of legal skirmishing and never took effect. The 7th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in 2009 that the law did not violate the U.S. Constitution and could be enforced, but a subsequent complaint in the state court blocked it again. In March 2010, a Cook County judge dismissed that complaint but continued to block its enforcement pending an appeal. The Illinois Appellate Court today reversed the lower court’s dismissal and ordered a trial.

Source: The Chicago Tribune