WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' law that restricts private health insurance coverage for abortions will go to trial to resolve whether it poses a substantial obstacle to women seeking to end pregnancies, a federal judge ruled Monday.

U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson rejected an argument by the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and Western Missouri that the 2011 law should be summarily invalidated because the Legislature's predominant purpose in passing the act was to impede access to abortion.

Instead, Robinson sided with the state in finding that the ACLU failed to provide any evidence about lawmakers' motivation. But, the judge said, a trial is necessary to determine the larger question of whether the significant costs for abortions many women must now pay for themselves create a substantial burden on the federal right to an abortion.