Governor Greg Abbott reminded everyone why the state slogan, “Don’t Mess With Texas,” is far too ironic. On Wednesday, the uber-conservative politician signed one of the strictest abortion bills in the nation. The legislation banned women from having the procedure as early as six weeks into pregnancy.
Abortion rights activists have promised to challenge the law in the courts. Six weeks of pregnancy is about two weeks after a woman misses her menstrual cycle. For many women, the occurrence would not automatically cause them to take a pregnancy test. Some experts advise women to wait a week after their missed period to test.
During the signing ceremony for the “heartbeat bill,” Abbott said, “Our creator endowed us with the right to life, and yet millions of children lose their right to life every year because of abortion.”
The heartbeat bill is now LAW in the Lone Star State.
This bill ensures the life of every unborn child with a heartbeat will be saved from the ravages of abortion.
Thank you @SenBryanHughes, @ShelbySlawson, & #txlege for fighting for the lives of the unborn in Texas. pic.twitter.com/aolhUKM9tv
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 19, 2021
The sexist governor also claimed that Senate Bill 8 was bipartisan. However, the bill was a priority for Texas Republicans, and all of them signed on as authors or co-sponsors, the Texas Tribune reported. Multiple Democrats staunchly argued against the bill going into the vote.
The bill requires abortion providers to check for a heartbeat before carrying out the procedure, and if one is found, they are not allowed to continue. The bill contains an exception for physician-diagnosed medical emergencies but not for rape or incest. According to Abbott and other Republicans, public resources can provide emergency contraception for those cases.
The “heartbeat bill” comes in the wake of the announcement earlier this week that the Supreme Court has agreed to hear an anti-abortion case brought by Mississippi that reproductive rights advocates assert will upend Roe v. Wade nationwide if Mississippi is successful. Abbott’s bill also toes the line.
Greg Abbott, who came under fire by many for his handling of the Texas ice storms earlier this year and his law banning schools and government offices from requiring masks, has engaged in a sort of political gameplay with Senate Bill 8. The way it is crafted will make it hard for lawsuits against the state, although abortion advocates vow to try.
“It’s a very unique law, and it’s a very clever law,” said Josh Blackman, a constitutional law professor at South Texas College of Law Houston. “Planned Parenthood can’t go to court and sue Attorney General [Ken] Paxton like they usually would because he has no role in enforcing the statute. They have to basically sit and wait to be sued.”
The bill takes effect in September.
