Today is a dark day for the State of Texas, as today marks the date that approximately 666 new laws passed by the Texas Legislature officially went into effect. One of these new laws that went into effect was Senate Bill 8, a bill that was passed during the 87th regular session of the Texas Legislature which prohibits abortions whenever an ultrasound can detect what lawmakers defined as a fetal “heartbeat,” despite medical and legal experts saying that this term is misleading because embryos don’t possess a heart at that developmental stage. This bill essentially is an outlawing of abortion throughout the state, and this is unacceptable.
Reproductive healthcare is vital for millions of people in the State of Texas, and by essentially outlawing abortion after six weeks, Governor Greg Abbott and the Republicans of the State are signaling to Texans everywhere that they believe they cannot govern their bodies and healthcare.
We reaffirm our commitment to supporting the reproductive rights of all Texans and believe that it is not the place of government to tell someone what they can and cannot do with their bodies. We will continue to fight for the right to have safe access to abortion in this state with our allies, no matter how long it will take. We will not rest until the day Texans don’t have to worry about a state government that wants to decide what people may or may not do with their healthcare.
Many organizations are currently helping support the fight for reproductive justice, and we encourage everyone to donate money to them as this struggle against reproductive rights is only just beginning:
Lilith Fund
Texas Equal Access Fund
Fund Texas Choice
Clinic Access Support Network
West Fund
Frontera Fund
The Afiya Center
Buckle Bunnies Fund