Texas Seeks to Ban Out-of-State Abortion Pills: What to Know

The Texas Legislature is expected to soon vote on final passage of a bill that would allow most citizens to file civil lawsuits against out-of-state providers who ship abortion pills to Texas. Texas law forbids most abortions, with exceptions for when the mother’s life is at risk or if the pregnancy will result in “substantial impairment of a major bodily function.” Medical abortion is now the most common method. The bill, HB7, has passed the Texas House of Representatives and faces a vote in the Republican-majority state Senate. Here’s what to know: What’s in the Bill? The bill lets private citizens file a whistleblower lawsuit against individuals or companies such as Plan C, Aid Access, and Her Safe Harbor, when they ship abortion pills to Texas....