Abortion opponents laud bill that would clamp down on pill providers and out-of-state abortions
Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, authored Senate Bill 2880, which legal experts say is the most comprehensive attempt yet to stop Texans from accessing abortion pills or out-of-state abortions.
The bill would target online pill providers and tech companies that host abortion-related websites, and make it a felony, punishable by up to life in prison, to pay or reimburse the costs of an abortion, a direct hit on abortion funds, which help cover the costs of out-of-state abortions. It would also expand the ability of private citizens to bring wrongful death lawsuits against pill providers after an abortion and empower the attorney general's office to more easily prosecute abortion offenses.
By going after the internet service providers, social media sites and search engines that power these websites, Texas could potentially undermine the entire network of pills and providers serving abortion-ban states.
'Senate Bill 2880 is a big toolbox of policies for Texas to fight back against these websites,' said John Seago, president of Texas Right to Life, during Thursday's hearing of the Senate State Affairs Committee. 'Texas will be leading other states on how we can fight this concerning trend.'
A large body of research has shown abortion drug mifepristone, first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2000, to be safe and effective. But anti-abortion groups have been actively pushing to get the medications restricted or even moved off the market through lawsuits and legislation.
Anti-abortion groups told lawmakers during the hearing that pregnant people in Texas are receiving pills such as mifepristone and misoprostol in the mail without any information about how to take them, or guidelines on follow-up care. Providers shared stories about women hemorrhaging at home or struggling to dispose of the remains of an aborted fetus.
'I see women suffering daily from the effects of incomplete chemical abortions,' said Whitney Freeman, director of medical services at Prestonwood Pregnancy Center in the Dallas area.
Freeman said sometimes women receive pills in the mail with no medical instructions, or with instructions in a foreign language such as Russian. Patients are told not to tell medical providers that they are in the process of a chemical abortion, which can then prevent them from receiving the care they need, Freeman said
SB 2880, called the Woman and Child Protection Act, would allow private citizens to sue for up to $100,000 per violation of the law. This is an escalation of the legal framework that allowed Texas to ban nearly all abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy in 2021.
Critics of the bill told lawmakers on Thursday that the legislation demonstrates government overreach and would infringe upon constitutional free speech.
Austin Kaplan, an Austin attorney who sued over the 2021 law, told The Texas Tribune that it was inevitable that lawmakers would keep pushing to expand the use of this private enforcement mechanism. He said this bill, as written, would likely be challenged in court, although he noted that hasn't stopped Texas lawmakers before.
'Looking at this, it looks just completely impossible,' he said. 'But what's the penalty for the Legislature? The legislator gets reelected. They don't pay out of pocket for this litigation.'
The committee also signaled its support of a priority bill for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, which would prohibit cities and counties from using taxpayer dollars to pay for out-of-state abortions and travel. Senate Bill 33 targets Austin and San Antonio, which have designated $400,000 and $500,000, respectively, to assist residents with costs associated with navigating abortion bans.
State law already prevents taxpayer funds from being used to pay for abortions, but some cities have 'worked to exploit a loophole,' said bill author Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, by using taxpayer funds to pay for travel accommodations, child care and other expenses women incur when they seek out-of-state abortions.
'We have so many things we need to be spending our taxpayer dollars on,' said San Antonio City Council Member Marc Whyte, who testified in favor of the bill. 'Not once have I heard the residents of San Antonio saying they want their tax dollars spent on sending women to other states to receive abortions.'
Under SB 33, the attorney general or any Texas resident could bring a civil legal action against cities that misuse funds by paying to facilitate abortions.
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Newsweek
13 minutes ago
- Newsweek
China Is the Big Winner of the Trump-Putin Summit
Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The clear winner of the recent Anchorage summit was not the United States or Russia. Nor was it the European Union, NATO, or Ukraine, all directly affected by the war in Eastern Europe. The big winner, at least for the moment, is the People's Republic of China. And China's only military ally, North Korea, did not do too badly either. Both Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin at their post-meeting press conference tried to create the impression of momentum toward ending the three-year-old conflict in Ukraine. Putin used the word "agreement" and Trump mentioned "great progress." Russian President Putin and President Donald Trump pose for a photo during the welcoming ceremony prior to the meeting on the war in Ukraine on August 15, 2025, in Anchorage, Alaska. Russian President Putin and President Donald Trump pose for a photo during the welcoming ceremony prior to the meeting on the war in Ukraine on August 15, 2025, in Anchorage, Alaska. Getty Images Nonetheless, it was clear that the summit was a disappointment for the American side. There was, for instance, no ceasefire, which Trump publicly said he wanted. "There's no deal until there's a deal," an uncharacteristically somber Trump said after the shorter-than-expected face-to-face with Putin. "We didn't get there." No, they didn't. And no deal is precisely what China was looking for. Beijing, from all indications, hopes that the war in Ukraine will continue indefinitely. Hong Kong's South China Morning Post reported that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Kaja Kallas, the EU foreign policy chief, on July 2 that China does not want Russia to lose because then the U.S. would focus on China. 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"The Kim regime is likely content to see the United States diplomatically engaged on other fronts," Greg Scarlatoiu, president and CEO of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, told Newsweek. "That will buy Kim Jong Un more time to continue his for-profit exportation of instability, violence, and tools of death." Kim has filled regime coffers via the sales of artillery shells and short-range ballistic missiles to Putin—28,000 containers of weapons according to one recent count. Kim also sent soldiers, up to 12,800 troops, to the Russian-Ukrainian battlefield late last year. Moreover, the North is dispatching perhaps 30,000 more of them now. That will be on top of combat engineers and miscellaneous workers. Russia, according to South Korean intelligence, is paying Kim $2,000 per month per trooper. Russia is reportedly transferring weapons tech to the North as well. Whatever Putin is paying or bartering, the Ukraine war has been a bonanza for the Kim regime. 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Whether the meeting with Putin went well or not—we will know only later—Trump cannot entice bad actors with reason alone; he needs to give them incentives to stop doing what they're doing. For the moment, Russia and supporters are trying Trump's patience, seeing how far they can push him. As a result, the American leader is taking heat for what looks like weak diplomacy. My sense is that Trump is trying to be generous. There is, however, only so much generosity in global politics. Trump could end his indulgent policies soon, especially if Putin continues to be intransigent. "Trump is losing patience," said Burton, the former diplomat. "The Russians, Chinese, and friends should watch out. When Trump decides it's time to hit them, he is going to hit them really hard." Gordon G. Chang is the author of Plan Red: China's Project to Destroy America and The Coming Collapse of China. Follow him on X @GordonGChang. The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
15 minutes ago
Authorities charge man suspected of planning attack in Germany, possibly targeting Israeli Embassy
BERLIN -- German prosecutors announced terrorism charges Wednesday against a man who they say may have planned to attack the Israeli Embassy in Berlin and intended to join the Islamic State group in Pakistan. The suspect, a Russian national identified only as Akhmad E. in line with German privacy rules, was arrested on Feb. 20 at the capital's airport as he prepared to board a flight. He has now been indicted on charges of supporting a foreign terrorist organization, attempted membership in such a group, and preparing a serious act of violence. Federal prosecutors said in a statement that the suspect initially planned to carry out an attack in Germany, possibly on the Israeli Embassy. He allegedly found instructions for making explosives on the internet but was unable to pursue the plan because he couldn't get a hold of the necessary components. At the same time, the suspect was allegedly translating propaganda into Russian and Chechen for IS. Prosecutors said he intended to join the group in Pakistan and get military training, and that he financed the trip by taking out two contracts for expensive smartphones, which he then sold. He allegedly sent a video declaring loyalty to the group to a suspected IS member outside of Germany shortly before his departure. The indictment was filed earlier this month to a court in Berlin, which will now have to decide whether to send the case to trial.
Politico
17 minutes ago
- Politico
Vote-by-fail?
Good Wednesday morning! Two years ago, New Jersey Republicans were talking about retaking one or both houses of the state Legislature for the first time since the early 2000s. They were coming off big pickups in 2021 and a near miss of the governor's office. The issues appeared to be in their favor. The voter registration trends were in their favor. And then Republicans lost six seats in the Assembly and one in the Senate. There's never just one factor that explains election results, but most agreed at the time that Republican mistrust of vote-by-mail played a role. Now, with less than three months to go before New Jersey's gubernatorial election, President Trump isn't helping on that front. On Monday he pledged to 'lead a movement' to end mail-in voting altogether in time for the 2026 midterms. 'ELECTIONS CAN NEVER BE HONEST WITH MAIL IN BALLOTS/VOTING, and everybody, IN PARTICULAR THE DEMOCRATS, KNOWS THIS,' he wrote on Truth Social. You can read the fact checks of the president's social media post. There were plenty of false claims in it. He's targeting the voting method preferred by Democrats. And he does not have the power to unilaterally end it. States run their own elections, and it would be up to Congress to stop them from using mail-in ballots. But there have been mail-in ballot fraud scandals in New Jersey — famously in Paterson and even more recently in South Jersey, where notorious operative Craig Callaway pleaded guilty to mail-in ballot fraud. Ironically, he was working at the time for the campaign of Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew, Trump's biggest ally. This can't be welcomed by Ciattarelli's camp. Most people believe this is a close race. And the way New Jersey mail-in voting works, most voters who have voted by mail before automatically receive ballots. That likely increases the chances that lower-propensity voters will cast them. 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He also wants to expand in-person early voting, which Republicans have embraced. Sean Higgins, the spokesperson for Democratic nominee Mikie Sherrill, said in a statement that 'Mikie, who swore oath after oath to defend democracy, will always fight to make it as easy as possible for eligible citizens to vote, including through vote-by-mail.' I reached out to the three Republican members of Congress from New Jersey about whether they would vote to end mail-in voting, and none responded. FEEDBACK? Reach me at mfriedman@ WHERE'S MURPHY? At the Hard Rock in Atlantic City at 10:30 a.m. for an announcement and 'fireside chat' QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'I was looking to file a police report or potentially even a restraining order against my ex-boyfriend who has been harassing me. 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HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Morghan Cyr, Steve Klinghoffer WHAT TRENTON MADE THOMAS THE ECONOMIC ENGINE — 'NJ Transit owns 8,000 acres and is looking to sell, spur development near train stations,' by The Record's Colleen Wilson: 'NJ Transit owns more than 8,000 acres of valuable real estate throughout the region — and now agency officials are trying to figure out which parcels to sell and how to monetize many other underused lots. Kris Kolluri, president and CEO of NJ Transit, directed agency officials to conduct a systemwide assessment of its real estate holdings to figure out what the agency should keep, what could be sold for a one-time cash infusion, and how other parcels could create recurring revenue … Now the agency wants to sell some properties to the state Economic Development Authority under a new plan approved during last year's state budget negotiations. Gov. Phil Murphy and the Legislature approved sending $100 million to the EDA to purchase properties from NJ Transit. 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Jack Ciattarelli, a self-styled moderate Republican, lost the governor's race to Democratic incumbent Phil Murphy in 2021, he could point to a key failure: his lack of votes from communities of color …. He has worked to court the votes he sorely missed in the last election by reaching out to Black faith leaders across New Jersey … However, taking a look at Ciattarelli's website begins to raise some questions. In the tab entitled, 'Coalitions,' among the groups listed (alongside 'Law Enforcement'; 'Muslims'; and 'Parents') is one for African Americans. Only, it's called 'Blacks.' Clicking it takes you to a page of Ciattarelli standing proudly with his hands on his hips and the phrase 'Blacks Back Jack' in big block letters. Beneath it are photos of Ciattarelli with about a half-dozen Black people, none of whom are identified … When asked about the 'coalition,' Ciattarelli's Deputy Campaign Manager Nick Poche did not have specific details on 'Blacks Back Jack,' but instead talked about the need for the campaign to 'engage' minority groups.' —'Robinhood sues Nevada, New Jersey over sports wager threats' TRUMP ERA INTIMIGRATION — 'The children in Newark Immigration Court,' by NJ Spotlight News' Hannah Gross: 'On a hot summer afternoon, a middle-school-aged girl … took her seat at U.S. immigration court in Newark. She lives with three family members but showed up to court with a woman she had only met once before. The girl's mom, also facing deportation, was too scared to come to court, the woman who had accompanied the child at the mother's request explained. Judge Tamar Wilson called the mother's failure to appear 'unacceptable.' … When her mother arrived in the courtroom, she sat down next to her daughter and wrapped her arms around her as the girl leaned into the embrace … That family's apparent fear inside the Newark courtroom is one example of the environment created by the Trump administration's increased immigration enforcement, which includes immigrants being detained just outside of court. Some parents, afraid of deportation themselves, are increasingly deciding to stay home and send their children facing deportation to court with someone in their circle who is a legal resident … Children, some of whom arrived in the country alone, often face the uncertainty and fear of appearing in immigration court without an attorney, since they do not have the same right to a court-appointed lawyer that U.S. citizens do.' —'New Jersey leads lawsuit demanding Trump abandon immigration-related conditions on crime victim funds' —'Bondi threatens to cut Hoboken's federal funding, Bhalla says city still won't aid ICE' —'Menendez demands DHS rescind advance-notice policy for detention center visits' —'Trump blames 'stupid and ugly' NJ project for rising energy costs' LOCAL DOOBIE AC — 'Atlantic City's weed store glut raises concerns from businesses,' by The Press of Atlantic City's Bill Barlow: 'One of the funny things about a gold rush is how few people get rich. 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Before he was elected to the Legislature last year, he'd negotiated as the mayor of Old Bridge to build 12 new affordably priced homes — many of them for veterans — on an empty lot not far from the beach, in the Laurence Harbor neighborhood on the town's east end. Builders said they should have already broken ground. But the project is on an indefinite hold because Owen's legislative colleagues decided in June to divert $125 million from a long-standing state trust fund for constructing affordable housing across the Garden State and spend it instead on other initiatives, including down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers. Gov. Phil Murphy supported shifting the funds, touting them as a way to provide New Jerseyans with immediate housing assistance. ' I'm very upset. In my opinion, the diversion of those funds is totally asinine,' Henry, a Republican, told Gothamist.' 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State investigators allege that Rogers then asked the owner for an $800 cash bribe in exchange for waiving the required fines, reinstating the license and reopening the store. When the store owner turned down the offer, Rogers said she would settle for taking some free merchandise, authorities alleged.' —'Six Flags defends keeping elderly elephant after animal rights group calls her captivity 'harmful' —'After 3% raises, Paterson school district now pays 12 officials over $200K' —'[Edison] judge denies ethics charge that he lied about having only one drink before crash' —'Bergen man who put swastikas on his car loses EMT license plates' —'Katie Brennan backs Solomon for Jersey City mayor' —'Hackensack calls on NJ Transit to improve safety at crossings after recent fatalities' —'How a new Tony Soprano mural ended up in a historic [Montclair] hub. See the renovation' —'Egg Harbor Township to spend $600K to restore West Jersey Avenue after Atlantic Shores pullout' EVERYTHING ELSE SHOCCKER — 'N.J. soccer mom demanded justice for daughter after violent foul. Her team got banned instead,' by NJ Advance Media's Patrick Lanni: 'The video tells an undeniable story. Amid a highly contested youth girls soccer match, a player grabs her opponent by the back of the neck, yanking her back and forth before throwing her to the grass face-first. The girl's spontaneous fit of anger is clearly a foul and draws a swift yellow card from the referee … Woodstown Borough, the team with the player who committed the hard foul, was welcomed back to the South Jersey Girls Soccer League for the upcoming 2025 fall season. Monroe Township, the team on the receiving end of the penalty, was not. The ugly foul and the ensuing fallout have now thrust two communities and a volunteer-driven soccer organization into the center of a raging debate over conduct at games, parental involvement in on-field disputes and social media's role in magnifying youth sports incidents and fanning them into viral clips. Lauren Astore, the parent of the Monroe girl who was thrown to the turf, claims her persistent complaints about the incident — and pursuit of accountability from league officials — led to her daughter's team being banned from the league this fall … Online comments, reviewed by NJ Advance Media, show Monroe parents, including Astore, calling the Woodstown player 'trash' and 'evil' as well as other expletives on various Facebook threads' —'U.S. News public high school rankings are out. How did your NJ school do?' —'This South Jersey educator has been named national high school principal of the year: 'I love what I am doing'' —'Study ranks women's equality across all 50 states. Here's where New Jersey stands' —'More Jersey Shore beaches may ban swimming as Hurricane Erin strengthens, creates dangerous surf conditions'
