Supreme Court agrees to hear first abortion case since 2007

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is taking on its first abortion case in eight years, a dispute over state regulation of abortion clinics.

The justices said Friday they will hear arguments over a Texas law that would leave about 10 abortion clinics open across the state.

A decision should come by late June — four months before the presidential election.

The high court previously blocked parts of the Texas law.

States have enacted a wave of measures in recent years that have placed restrictions on when in a pregnancy abortions may be performed, imposed limits on abortions using drugs instead of surgery and raised standards for clinics and the doctors who work in them.

The court took no action on a separate appeal from Mississippi.