"House Bill 7 gives private citizens the right to sue health providers for mailing, prescribing or providing abortion medication to patients in the state of Texas; providers sued under the bill risk penalties of at least $100,000. The bill, which passed after heated negotiations between the state's various anti-abortion advocacy groups, now awaits Gov. Greg Abbott's signature. Its supporters believe it could represent a new step in the national battle over abortion rights."
"Texas is the largest state to have almost completely outlawed abortion. But thousands of residents each month have continued to terminate their pregnancies by ordering medication from health care providers who practice in states where the procedure remains legal. Those medical professionals work under the protection of shield laws, statutes that hold their home states won't cooperate with an out-of-state prosecution. One estimate suggests that by the end of 2024, more than 3,400 Texans received these telehealth abortions each month."
House Bill 7 creates a private right of action allowing citizens to sue health providers who mail, prescribe, or provide abortion medication to Texans and imposes minimum penalties of $100,000 on providers. The law also authorizes lawsuits against pharmaceutical manufacturers that make medications used by Texans for abortion, potentially chilling drug development and limiting access. Thousands of Texans have obtained abortion pills by ordering them from providers in states where telehealth abortion remains legal, protected by shield laws. The practice has grown since Roe v. Wade was overturned, offering a cheaper alternative to interstate travel for abortion care.
Read at Truthout
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]