Texas Lawmakers have followed the lead of states like Ohio, Georgia, and Missouri by making abortion illegal once a fetal heat beat is detected. A heartbeat can be detected as early as 6- weeks, some women may not know they are pregnant in time. 

Carla Espinoza

            In the days leading up to the new law many women have reported scrambling for time to receive the proper health care needed before the deadline. The Center for Reproductive Rights, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Lawyering Project, and many other women’s rights groups attempted to sidestep republicans by asking the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas to block the law before it is scheduled to take effect. 

 Since Wednesday social media has been flooded with outrage from Texas women who don’t agree with the new changes. Some have brought up the obvious hypocrisy from republicans about freedom of choice. During the pandemic Texas Republicans, including Governor Greg Abbott have been against mask mandates. They argue that people should have freedom of choice when it comes to wearing a mask. Republicans however have failed to apply the same concept to women’s personal decisions about their health. Texas legislatures have offered no exceptions to this rule, including cases of rape or incest. Heartbeat laws are discriminatory, they will deeply impact low-income families who cannot afford to travel out of state for an abortion

President Biden spoke out against the new law this week calling it a, “unprecedented assault on a woman’s constitutional rights.” However, the US Supreme Court has already made the decision to not block this law. Possibly setting precedent for other states looking to pass a “Heartbeat Bill”.  

            Opponents of Texas’s anti- abortion law are further outraged at the lack of acknowledgement for women’s rights by male republicans who wrote the bill. Especially since women who have received an abortion, or anyone who helped facilitate the abortion can be sued by any citizen who can prove their claims. Essentially putting a bounty on women who received proper medical care from a doctor out of state. Anyone who’s lawsuit successfully blocks a woman from getting an abortion may receive up to a $10,000 reward. UBER and LYFT have already promised to pay for legal fees to any driver who may get sued for driving a patient to an out of state doctor or for helping in any way.

            Planned Parenthood has been actively combatting the “Heartbeat Acts” all over the country, their website plannedparenthoodaction.org gives folks the opportunity to give donations. But unfortunately for now – it is too late for Texas Women. 

            Women’s Rights have been harshly trampled on in the last four years, Alabama has completely outlawed abortion. And the Supreme Court was packed with evangelicals leaving Roe VS Wade on thin ice. If the Texas Government can get away with stealing women’s right to their own bodies, there is no telling what they have their sights set on next. Will Gay marriage be banned next? Will they bring the racist SB4 initiative back?  What is next for Texas Citizens? 

Sources:

 https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/blog/wtf-an-abortion-bounty-law-in-2021

WTF? An Abortion Bounty Law in 2021?

By Miriam Berg | Sept. 1, 2021, 3:50 p.m.

Bill Title: Relating to abortion, including abortions after detection of an unborn child’s heartbeat; authorizing a private civil right of action.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 90-1) Status: (Passed) 2021-05-19 – Effective on 9/1/21