The measure will allow residents of Xusas to sue out-of-state abortion pill providers and go to the governor’s desk to go Greg Abbotton Wednesday, the state was the first to try to crack down on the most common abortion methods.
Supporters say it is a key tool to implement the state’s abortion ban and protect women and fetus.
Opponents see it not only as another way to curb miscarriage, but also an effort to intimidate outside miscarriage providers Texas Those who abide by state laws – and encourage a form of vigilance.
If the measure becomes law, it will almost certainly raise legal challenges for abortion rights advocates.
Under the measure, Texas residents can sue those who manufacture, transport or provide abortion drugs to anyone in Texas for up to $100,000. female Those who accept the pills they use will not be liable.
Under the bill, providers can be ordered to pay $100,000. However, only pregnant women, men who impregnate her or other close relatives can collect the full amount. Anyone who filed the lawsuit can only get $10,000, and the remaining $90,000 will go to charity.
Members also added language to address women who are worried that women will terminate their pregnancy by raping them or abuse their partners. For example, a man who impregnates a woman by sexually assaulting will fail.
The provisions of the measure enable disclosure of the identity or medical details of the woman receiving the pill.
Until these rules were added, a $10,000 limit was paid for people not harmed by abortion, and several major anti-abortion groups in Texas supported the bill.
The idea of using citizens instead of government officials to enforce abortion ban is nothing new in Texas. It is the heart of the 2021 law that cuts abortions here a few months before the U.S. Supreme Court’s path to the injunction for other countries.
In earlier laws, citizens could charge $10,000 to file a successful lawsuit against the provider or anyone who helped someone have an abortion. However, this measure does not explicitly seek to follow out-of-state providers.
Pills are a tricky topic for abortion opponents. They are the most common abortion method in the United States even before the Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe V Wade and allow states to enforce abortion ban in 2022.
Since then, they have become more widely used. Their availability is a key reason for the increase in abortion numbers nationwide, even if Texas and 11 other states enforce bans in abortions at all stages of pregnancy.
The drugs continue to flow, in part because at least eight Democratic states have created laws that are designed to protect health care providers from legal consequences because they use telemedicine to prescribe medicines for women in states where abortion is illegal.
Anna Rupani, executive director of the Texas Foundation, said the measure is designed to threaten out-of-state providers and women in Texas.
“It’s about the creepy effect,” she said. “It’s another abortion ban that allows the state to control people’s health care lives and reproductive decisions.”
Earlier this year, a Texas judge ordered a New York doctor to pay more than $100,000 in fines for providing abortion pills to Dallas-area women.
The same provider, Dr. Maggie Carpenter, faces criminal charges from Louisiana prosecutors seeking his charges.
New York officials are invoking their state’s shield laws to prevent extradition from carpenters and refuse to file a civil judgment.
If the Superior Court is on the side of Louisiana or Texas officials, it may undermine the Shield Law.
Meanwhile, attorneys in Texas and Florida are seeking to join Idaho, Kansas and Missouri to get the court to revoke the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of mifepristone, one of the drugs commonly used in drug abortion, deemed safety issues. They say it requires tighter controls due to these concerns.
If states succeed, it may be possible that the drug can only be distributed in person, rather than through telemedicine.
Major medical organizations, including obstetricians and gynecologists in the United States, say the drug is safe.
Health & Wellness Contributor
A wellness enthusiast and certified nutrition advisor, Meera covers everything from healthy living tips to medical breakthroughs. Her articles aim to inform and inspire readers to live better every day.
