- On Wednesday, the
Supreme Court refused to blockTexas ' new restrictiveabortion law in a 5-4 ruling. - Abortion providers would have no legal remedy if subjected to private lawsuits under the new law.
- 85-90% of Texans who obtain
abortions are at least six weeks into pregnancy, according to Planned Parenthood.
Texas abortion providers including
The restraining order bans the anti-abortion group from suing abortion providers and health care workers under Texas' new restrictive abortion law, which the Supreme Court refused to block in a 5-4 ruling issued Wednesday.
In the filing asking for the restraining order, Planned Parenthood said the anti-abortion group's "threatened implementation of the six-week ban and its enforcement scheme, as well as S.B. 8's fee-shifting provision, would cause imminent, irreparable injury" to abortion providers.
Judge Maya Guerra Gamble of the Texas District Court for Travis County said the law created a "probable, irreparable, and imminent injury in the interim" to abortion providers, who would have no legal remedy if subjected to private enforcement lawsuits under the new law.
SB 8 or the Texas Heartbeat law, went into effect on Wednesday and banned abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, which is usually around six weeks, well before many women know they are
The law also allows private citizens to sue anyone who "aids or abets" an abortion. Those who win their case could win a minimum of $10,000 in addition to attorney fees.
Texas Right to Life set up a website in July that would allow people to anonymously provide tips about people obtaining abortions despite the law. The site has been spammed with fake tips.