Latest news with #SB2880
CBS News
5 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
Bill cracking down on abortion pill distribution dies in Texas House
A bill that have cracked down on the distribution of abortion pills died in the Texas House this week after not getting scheduled for House review. Senate Bill 2880 would have enhanced criminal penalties for abortion crimes and provided more tools to target online sales of abortion drugs. SB 2880 passed in the Senate last month with no amendments. Abraham George, chairman of the Texas Republican Party, has said that SB 2880 is an important bill that will save the lives of unborn Texans. "As conservatives have pointed out, if this bill dies it will be the fault of Texas House Republicans," he said on social media. Other abortion bill considered during 89th legislative session On May 21, Texas lawmakers advanced a bill to clarify medical exceptions under one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the U.S., putting the GOP-backed proposal on the brink of reaching Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. The changes would not expand abortion access in Texas or list specific medical exceptions under the state's near-total ban, which took effect in 2022 and only allows for an abortion to save the life of the mother. It also would not include exceptions for cases of rape or incest.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
A Texas bill to block abortion pills has died for now
A major Texas bill that was poised to offer a blueprint for abortion restrictions has likely died in the state legislature. Senate Bill 2880, a top priority for the state's abortion opponents, would have targeted people who manufacture, distribute, mail or otherwise provide abortion medication in Texas. It would have enabled private citizens to sue people who distributed or provided abortion pills in Texas for a minimum of $100,000. Backers said the bill was meant to hit organizations such as Aid Access, an abortion telehealth provider that helps people in states with abortion bans who want to terminate their pregnancies. But despite clearing key legislative hurdles — the bill passed the state's Republican-led Senate in April and received approval from a House committee Friday evening — SB 2880 was not scheduled for a floor vote in Texas' House of Representatives. Tuesday is the deadline for Senate bills to receive a vote in the House; the bill's omission means it will not make it to the governor's desk before the legislative session ends this week. 'It's very disappointing to see that it likely won't pass this session,' said Ashley Leenerts, legislative director of Texas Right to Life, which helped craft the bill and lobbied heavily for its passage. SB 2880 seemed poised to pass. The bill's Senate sponsor, Republican Bryan Hughes, chairs his chamber's influential state affairs committee, which oversees legislation affecting state policy and government. The bill had also been reviewed and approved by staff for Gov. Greg Abbott, Leenerts said. 'This has been Texas Right to Life's top priority since the session began,' she said. 'We're going to keep working and do our best. But it did seem like there had been support from leadership in the House, Senate and governor.' Components of the bill could move forward as amendments to other legislation or if Abbott, who opposes abortion, calls a special legislative session this summer. But multiple activists from Texas Right to Life said they are unaware of bills that could serve as an amendment vehicle for SB 2880's abortion medication restrictions. Abbott has also not indicated that he will summon the legislature back for a special session. John Seago, the head of Texas Right to Life, would not comment directly on the possibility of a special legislative session, but added, 'There's still a small window for other opportunities for this policy to get passed, and we're going to continue to push those.' 'We're the most stubborn, we're the most non-compromising pro-life group in Texas,' Seago said. About 1 in 5 abortions are now done through telehealth, with half for patients in states with bans on the procedure or restrictions on telehealth. The practice is a safe and effective way to end a pregnancy that does not require someone to visit an abortion clinic. The providers prescribing and sending medication are from states such as New York, Massachusetts and California, whose 'shield laws' protect them from out-of-state prosecutions. SB 2880, modeled after a six-week abortion ban it erected in 2021, aimed to put a stop to the practice by threatening providers with financially ruinous lawsuits. Abortion opponents in other states have voiced frustration that the prevalence of telemedicine abortion has seriously undercut their efforts to ban the procedure. Though a dozen states have banned abortion almost entirely, the number of abortions in the country has not fallen — thanks in no small part to the growing share of people who now get abortions through the mail. Abortion opponents have pushed for restrictions on medication abortion — and on telehealth specifically — at the federal level and individual state governments. But so far, none have successfully halted the practice. 'The anti-abortion movement knows if they want to stop abortion in the future, they have to stop pills, but historically, that's a hard thing to do,' said David Cohen, a law professor at Drexel University who has helped craft state shield laws. 'It's a hard thing to do to stop a drug. That's partly why the anti-abortion movement is flailing.' Even without legislation, Seago said his organization will continue to press for policies targeting medication abortion. 'There are things the attorney general, the governor's office, comptroller's office — there are things the Texas state government has power to do today that it has not done,' he said. 'We will continue to put pressure on those individuals. We don't sit on our hands for two years.' And the issue of mailing abortions to states with bans may be ultimately settled in courts. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a civil lawsuit targeting a New York-based doctor for allegedly mailing pills to a patient in Texas. In Louisiana, state prosecutors have pursued criminal charges. Those cases are still making their way through the courts, and will likely involve legal challenges to the shield laws abortion providers have so far relied on. The post A Texas bill to block abortion pills has died for now appeared first on The 19th. News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas Legislature latest: Countdown until end of session is on
The Brief Monday marked one week to go until the end of regular session Voting would go until midnight, another late push on Tuesday Several issues are still at play here AUSTIN, Texas - With only a week to go until the end of the regular session, the countdown is on for the Texas Legislature. House Speaker Dustin Burrows issued a warning before Monday's final hard press started. Voting would go until midnight with another late push on Tuesday. Big picture view Political analysts Mark Jones and Brain Smith gave their impressions of the political end game that's being played. "It is all coffee and cigarette this week, because everything has to be through the legislature process, through all the channels and done by next Monday," said Smith. Jones anticipates the 48-hour period to be frantic. "And at the end of the day, Democrats now can see light at the tunnel," said Jones. The light for Democrats, is not a green light. Monday, House Democrats hit the brakes at times. During the day they engaged in debate by asking multiple questions and many of the questions seemed to be raised only as a way to burn time. This tactic, called chubbing, was even used on a bipartisan bill that encourages movie making in Texas. "So every minute that Democrats waste chubbing on bills like the motion picture bill, which is going to pass, which they actually, virtually all, support is less time for bills that are on the calendar on Tuesday, or potentially even some bills that run the Monday calendar, but very low down on the list," said Jones. The stalling effort was used a few weeks ago with earlier deadlines. Dig deeper Several issues are still at play here and some recently saw votes. House Republicans have pushed through several abortion bills. They include clarifying when doctors can perform the procedure to save the life of the mother, and a bill banning the use of tax dollars to pay for out-of-state trips for abortions. SB 2880, which bans the sale of abortion-inducing medication, moved out of a House committee on Saturday but has not yet been posted for a floor debate in the full House. There was a vote that brought about a political death and resurrection. The Texas Lottery Commission was abolished with the games moved to a new agency. State Rep. Gene Wu (D-Houston) in questioning state Rep. Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth) noted the switch over would start September 1st. State Rep. Chris Turner (D-Plano) reminded House members the action will save a game that helps veterans. "While it's a relatively small aspect of the lottery overall, the impact that the veterans scratch-off ticket has is immense for the men and women who have served our state," said Turner. Legislative survivors included two hard-line bail reform measures. Debate on a bill to deny bail for undocumented immigrants was moved to Tuesday. A no-bail resolution for repeat offenders with violent crimes failed to gain the necessary 100 votes. It could get a second chance on Tuesday. Another critical 2nd Reading vote was on SB13. It would create school library advisory councils to make recommendations on books. The committees would consist of parents, educators, and local community members. What's next The latter part of the week will be focused on finalizing deals involving several big bills that are in conference committee. That process could carry over into next Monday. The Source Information in this report comes from reporting/interviews by FOX 7 Austin's chief political reporter Rudy Koski.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Bill to stop flow of abortion pills into Texas clears House panel
A comprehensive crackdown on abortion pills passed out of a Texas House committee Friday, after conservatives criticized leadership for allowing it to languish. Since Texas banned nearly all abortions in 2022, people have found ways to obtain abortion-inducing drugs from a wide range of sources: out-of-state doctors, overseas pharmacies and whisper networks around the state, among other avenues. In response to red state abortion bans, blue states have passed shield laws to protect their providers from criminal or civil penalties for mailing pills. Anti-abortion groups and conservative lawmakers in Texas, frustrated by this easily exploited loophole in the law, have tried to stop this proliferation of pills with lawsuits and legislation. Senate Bill 2880 represents the most wide-ranging effort yet, giving the state a slew of new and legally unprecedented tools. If the bill becomes law, anyone who manufactures, distributes, mails, prescribes or provides abortion-inducing drugs can be sued for up to $100,000, even if the pills aren't proven to be the cause of death for the fetus. It expands the wrongful death statute to encourage men whose partners willingly terminate their pregnancies to sue whoever provided the pills for up to six years after the event. It also empowers the Attorney General to bring lawsuits on behalf of 'unborn children of residents of this state.' The bill also contains a controversial provision that says it cannot be challenged in state court before it is enforced, and a state judge who holds the law to be unconstitutional can be personally sued for $100,000. The bill passed the Senate 19-11 and was referred to the House State Affairs committee, where it lay dormant for three weeks. With the deadline for House committees to pass Senate bills approaching on Saturday, 43 Republican members of the House signed onto a letter, urging Chairman Ken King, a Republican from Canadian, to take up the bill. 'Texas is in crisis,' the letter said, noting that the state's strict abortion laws are 'subverted daily by bad actors who flood our state with dangerous and deadly abortion pills.' To really drive the message home, a group of House members held a press briefing Friday to demand that SB 2880, among other conservative bills, move before the deadline. 'We are in a war right now, and you need to understand we are running out of time,' Rep. Mitch Little, a Lewisville Republican, said. He said that a recent bill to clarify Texas' abortion laws was a 'noble thing to do, but there's a balance to this equation that has to be completed.' Just two hours later, the House State Affairs committee gathered for a last-minute meeting, where they voted 8-5 to move the bill. It now faces another tight turnaround to preliminarily pass the House before the Tuesday deadline. First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas' latest anti-abortion bill should alarm anyone who cares about rule of law
You know how some showrunners try to amp up the sex and gore in streaming series when they're worried about fading viewer interest and don't have better ideas? The Texas Legislature is following this playbook when it comes to abortion. After lawmakers in 2021 passed Senate Bill 8, the "Texas Heartbeat Act" that banned abortion once fetal cardiac activity was present, Texas abortions officially fell to negligible numbers. But Texas women continued getting abortions at nearly the same rate as when the procedure was legal. Abortion pills are easy to obtain and take, even in states where they are illegal. The pills are almost always effective, and have fewer serious side effects than drugs such as Viagra and penicillin. With the Senate's recent passage of SB 2880, the 'Women and Child Protection Act,' the desperation of Texas legislators is palpable. The Protection Act would make abortion pill manufacturers, distributors, prescribers and transporters strictly liable for the death or injury of a pregnant person or fetus. Nearly any private person could bring a civil suit up to six years after the alleged abortion, seeking damages of up to $100,000. Additionally, the bill authorizes the Texas attorney general to bring a civil action on behalf of fetuses to enforce the state's criminal abortion laws. The bill would make not only defendants but also their attorneys liable to pay the attorney's fees and costs of prevailing plaintiffs. The corker is that the bill purports to prevent courts from finding the bill unconstitutional, whether in part or in whole. In fact, should any court dare to find any portion of the bill unconstitutional, the bill declares such a finding to be void — and SB 2880 says that any person may sue the judge or anyone following the judge's ruling and obtain at least $100,000 in punitive damages from them, among other damages and relief. Clearly, the Texas Legislature thinks that those prescribing and supplying abortion pills to Texas women are scofflaws who need to be disciplined. But the Legislature is woefully impotent on this issue. The Texas Heartbeat Act already permits private people to bring these sorts of 'bounty suits' against many of the defendants that SB 2880 contemplates. If the Heartbeat Act isn't working, why should SB 2880 yield greater success? Damages under the Heartbeat Act start at $10,000 rather than the $100,000 offered under SB 2880, but given that both also cover prevailing plaintiffs' attorneys fees and costs, it's hard to see how the increased bounty would spur the thousands of private suits needed to help deter illicit abortions. The Legislature should realize that the bounty hunter tactic isn't working. The tactic is unconstitutional. To sue for civil damages, a person must have suffered a redressable injury. Without an actual injury, a person doesn't have the right to bring a civil lawsuit seeking damages against another party. Imagine if anyone — your neighbor, a business competitor, some person on the other side of the country — could haul you into court and sue you for thousands of dollars if they learned that you did something that the Legislature decided wasn't allowed, like jaywalking or wearing a red shirt. This is what the Heartbeat Act and SB 2880 do. They throw the bedrock constitutional principle of due process under the bus. What's more, in an outrageous attempt to circumvent the courts, SB 2880 would heavily penalize any judge who dared to find the statute unconstitutional. Most of published decisions to date involving the Heartbeat Act, including decisions at the U.S. and Texas Supreme Courts, have concerned matters other than the bounty hunter provision. But one Texas district court has addressed the substantive issue. It held that the Heartbeat Act's enforcement mechanism is unconstitutional. Any other holding would be absurd. It would throw state courts open to anyone, potentially, to sue another party for any reason or no reason at all. The Texas Legislature is trying to tear down the rule of law. Regardless of our views on abortion, we should all oppose this. Laura Hermer is a professor of law at Mitchell Hamline School of Law in Saint Paul, Minn. She previously served on the faculty at the University of Texas Medical Branch and the University of Houston Law Center. She teaches and writes on health law and reproductive rights. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas' anti-abortion bill is an attack on the rule of law | Opinion
