On Wednesday, the Alaska Supreme Court heard arguments in a legal case that will determine whether or not the state of Alaska may restrict abortion care to licensed physicians.

Since 2019, attorneys representing Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest, Hawaii, Alaska, Indiana and Kentucky, have been challenging a state law setting out that restriction. They argue that advanced practice clinicians should be permitted to provide abortion care, even though they are not licensed physicians.

The law, enacted in 1970, has been partially suspended since 2021, which has allowed advanced practice clinicians to perform abortions. In 2024, Alaska Superior Court judge ruled in favor of Planned Parenthood , continuing the suspension.

The state of Alaska, which opposes Planned Parenthood’s i

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