Leon County Judge Angela Dempsey on Wednesday upheld a state law enacted in 2015 requiring women to wait 24 hours before undergoing an abortion procedure.

The law has been contested since its signing and with this ruling abortion providers must begin taking steps to abide by the law.

Providers will have until April 30th to comply.

The law includes exceptions for victims of rape, incest, and human trafficking.

Judge Dempsey ruled the law is constitutional based these exceptions and the fact that 26 other states have similar waiting periods.

The lawsuit was originally filed by a Gainesville area abortion clinic.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis intends to sign a new law outlawing abortions after 15 weeks.