WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court said Tuesday that it would return to the controversial issue of what restrictions may be placed on protesters outside abortion clinics without violating their free-speech rights.

The high court specifically agreed to consider a Colorado criminal law designed to protect the privacy rights of those abortion-seeking women entering health care facilities.

The law states that within 100 feet (30 meters) of the facility's entrance no one may distribute leaflets, orally counsel, educate or protest, or display signs within 8 feet (2.4 meters) of another person without first getting the person's consent.

The Colorado Supreme Court in February upheld the law, ruling that it does not place too great a burden on the First Amendment free-speech rights of the anti-abortion protesters.

The court ruled that the law placed reasonable restrictions on speech that were narrowly tailored to serve a significant government interest. It said the law left open many alternative ways for those to communicate their ideas opposing abortion.

The law was challenged by three individuals who argued that it unconstitutionally designates private citizens as censors of speech on public sidewalks and streets.

Jay Sekulow, an attorney for the three demonstrators and the chief counsel of The American Center for Law and Justice, an anti-abortion group, said he was pleased the court would review the case.

``The Supreme Court has an important opportunity to clarify that there is no abortion speech exception to the First Amendment on sidewalks surrounding abortion clinics,'' he said.

``Sidewalk counselors who oppose abortion should not have to surrender their constitutionally protected First Amendment rights because some people disagree with their message,'' Sekulow said.

The Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case in January, with a decision due before the end of June.

In its last ruling on the issue, in 1997, the high court struck down restrictions that kept demonstrators 15 feet (4.6 meters) from women visiting abortion clinics on the grounds that such a ``floating'' or moving buffer zone violated free-speech rights.

However, the court in the same ruling upheld separate fixed restrictions that required that demonstrators stay 15 feet from clinic doorways, driveways and entrances.

The case from Colorado was unrelated to a federal law signed by President Clinton in 1994 that makes it a crime to obstruct an abortion clinic or to interfere with patients or staff.