Sensitive Texas Abortion Law: What to Know (1 Viewer)

[Tickita]

A divided Supreme Court left a new, controversial law in Texas that bans most abortions in the state in effect late Wednesday night. The law, which prohibits the procedure after about six weeks of pregnancy, is one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the nation.

Over the objections of three liberal associate justices and Chief Justice John Roberts, the high court declined to block enforcement of the law in a 5-4 ruling released just before midnight.

Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor called the decision "stunning," in a dissenting opinion joined by Associate Justices Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan.

Here's what to know about the battle playing out in the Lone Star state.

What does the Texas abortion law do?
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed the legislation, known as the "fetal heartbeat" bill, into law in May. It bans abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually around six weeks of pregnancy and before many people realize they are pregnant.

There are no exemptions in cases of rape or incest.

Abortion providers say the legislation would restrict 85% of abortion procedures in Texas. The law is one of the most direct challenges on the boundaries of the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion.

Similar six-week abortion laws in Georgia, Kentucky and other states have been blocked by federal courts.

Why the Texas law is unusual
The Texas law is different from other restrictive abortion laws because instead of relying on officials to enforce the law, private citizens are allowed to sue abortion providers and anyone involved in "aiding and abetting" abortions.

This could include anyone driving a person to an abortion clinic, among other situations. Anyone who is successful in suing is entitled to $10,000, according to the law.

Abortion rights advocates say the law is written in a way to prevent federal courts from striking it down, in part because it’s hard to know whom to sue.

Read more at: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/09/01/texas-abortion-law-what-to-know/5679581001/

 

[RandAlThor]

With the ever increasing push for mandated vaccines the my body my choice argument is getting undercut.

This law is ofc a test case as most of em are. Typically passed intending to fail but redefine the line.

bottom line the anti ppl are convinced its killing a innocent and defenseless human, they will never ever stop pushing this.

 

[raymondchouku]

The issue also goes beyond this as well.. Since this would likely impact planned parenthood and other clinics as well. Most women who get abortions are not really thrilled by the concept and also tend to be from religious demographics.. But I digress. My point being people who want PreP, since many doctors advise going to a clinic to get it, will have to go to such planned parenthood esque clinics and such shutdown [as many on the religious right want them to be shut down] would prove a latent consequence of these type of laws.

Regardless of aforementioned digressions and maxims, I would agree with @RandAlThor that the issue is less about sexism and more about conflicting views of morality.

 

[blueberries]

I'm just wondering how it managed to pass cause apparently there is no exceptions regardless of if someone was assaulted or the age of mother? It just seemed pretty faulty idea from the start