NASHVILLE (AP) — In a victory for opponents of abortion, the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal in a case that has made it easier to restrict abortion in Tennessee.

Abortion-rights supporters had hoped to overturn a 2014 change to the state constitution, which added language saying nothing in the document "secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion."

The change was approved by 53 percent of voters, but the plaintiffs argued the state's method of counting votes was unfair and allowed voters to game the system.

A federal judge agreed in 2016, calling the vote-counting system unconstitutional. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that decision in January.

Monday's denial by the U.S. Supreme Court leaves the constitutional amendment intact.