Austonia daily newsletter—direct to your inbox 6 a.m.
Join the 250,000+ others who rely on Austonia for local news, info and fun
×
Popular
Texas women have protested pro-life bills several times this year—groups met at the Texas Capitol in January and May to oppose limiting legislation. (mirsasha/CC)
The new law and 665 others were signed by Gov. Greg Abbott after the regular legislative session in May. Senate Bill 8 bans abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected at around six weeks, respectively. The bill offers no exceptions for rape or incest and also empowers private citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone who "aids or abets" the procedure.
A handful of other states have passed similar bills that were blocked by the courts but Texas' uniquely puts enforcement into the hands of the people. Lawsuits carry no criminal penalty but anyone who successfully sues a clinic provider could be awarded $10,000 or more.
While some organizations like the ACLU of Texas hoped the "Heartbeat Bill" would be struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court, it failed to take action before going into effect today and minutes before midnight Wednesday, refused to block the law in a 5 to 4 vote. In another attempt to go around the bill, a Travis County judge issued a temporary restraining order against the legislation on Tuesday. However, the restraining order does not strike the bill down since it will be enforced through civil court.
Attempts to tear down Roe v. Wade protections in Texas are not new, Elizabeth Doyel, an Austin-based women's rights activist at political communications firm Superior Blue who previously worked at Planned Parenthood at Greater Texas. Major abortion providers in the city, like Planned Parenthood and Whole Women's Health clinics, are complying with the law and dramatically reducing procedures to only permitted medical emergencies.
"There are so many women in Texas that woke up today and didn't realize what had happened," Doyel said. "Today, we mourn. Tomorrow, we have to get up and we have to fight."
'I can't help you, I will be sued.'
(Steve Rhodes/CC)
Doyel, who lives in the Rosedale neighborhood, has never had an abortion and is past her childbearing years but SB8 still affects her—she says it sets back years of work she has done and takes an emotional toll. Doyel remembers helping a friend in high school who was raped get an abortion in rural Arkansas. Doyel was quickly disowned by her friend's parents afterward—something she said changed the direction of her life.
"It makes me scared for that young woman who exists somewhere in Texas, to know that she has no one to turn to because her friends will be like, 'I can't help you. I will be sued for at least $10,000,'" Doyel said, holding back tears. "The Texas Legislative Republicans have made average Texans vigilantes. That's part of it that I find just horrifying."
Doyel says she has been there for friends who needed abortions—and people who have died trying to get one—and worries about the future and safety of women, especially those who are underprivileged.
'A plane ticket is more than a lot of people can afford.'
(Pexels)
The new bills won't stop abortions for Texans who have the means to travel—abortion is legal without any term restrictions in Colorado and in most circumstances in New Mexico and Nevada. Financially comfortable women will still be able to get an abortion if need be but the law will put much more strain on disadvantaged communities.
Doyel said she's been fighting the misconception that all abortions result from assault or unwanted pregnancy—restricting abortions puts the lives of women who can't carry to term, can't afford a child or are too young to raise a child, in danger.
"Texas is not a small state; it takes hours to get to an abortion provider in Colorado, or New Mexico, or Nevada or any of those type of places," Doyel said. "A plane ticket is more than a lot of people can afford. Abortion has always been available for wealthy, white women who need it. Abortion access for women in other groups: rural, poor, women of color, has not been possible and that's what Roe, opened up."
'A moment of political theater'
The Texas Heartbeat Act is now in effect!
— Texas Right to Life (Text ProLife to 40237) (@TXRightToLife) September 1, 2021
Texas is officially the first state EVER to enforce a heartbeat law!
God bless Texas.
Text HEARTBEAT to 40237#ProLife #Texas
Our message to everyone who may need an abortion in Texas is this: Abortion funds are here to affirm that no matter what barriers you are facing, you have the right to access abortion and we will keep fighting for you. https://t.co/cxofiCIOHV
— Lilith Fund (@lilithfund) September 1, 2021
Texas Right to Life, a nonprofit organization that opposes abortion in all forms, set up a "whistleblower" website to report violations of the new law.
"These lawsuits are not against the women," Texas Right to Life Legislative Director John Seago told NPR. "The lawsuits would be against the individuals making money off of the abortion, the abortion industry itself. So this is not 'spy on your neighbor and see if they're having an abortion.'"
With other issues in Texas' infrastructure, like the power grid that collapsed in February and Austin's growing affordability crisis, Doyel said she is sad, but not surprised, that Texas legislators have chosen not to target more pressing issues.
"A group of people in that pink building made a decision to take away a fundamental right for a woman, all in a moment of political theater," Doyel said. "Austin is a blueberry in a bowl of tomato soup as they say, but there's plenty of tomato soup in this town."
This story was updated Thursday morning to include that the U.S. Supreme Court voted to not block the law.
From Your Site Articles
- Gov. announces CVS will open 44 drive-thru COVID testing sites in ... ›
- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton being investigated for crimes ... ›
- Gov. Abbott announces Texas Legislature special session agenda ... ›
- 7 bills to know from contentious Texas legislative session - austonia ›
- Texas' growth may be slowed by abortion ban, poll reports - austonia ›
- Abbott signs long-contested voting bill Tuesday - austonia ›
- Politicians criticize Abbott's plan to 'eliminate rape' in wake of new abortion law - austonia ›
- Politicians criticize Abbott's plan to 'eliminate rape' in wake of new abortion law - austonia ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Permitless carry will go into effect in Texas Sept. 1. (CC)
The session's flagship gun bill allows Texans to carry handguns without a permit effective Wednesday. Called "permitless carry" by some and "constitutional carry" by others, the law has been deemed Wild West-esque and unsafe by police organizations and some public figures but has been touted as a constitutional right by GOP lawmakers.
"You could say that I signed into law today some laws that protect gun rights," Abbott said as he signed the bill. "But today I signed documents that instilled freedom in the Lone Star State."
With the law in place, anyone 21 and older without a previous felony conviction or other legal restrictions will be able to carry a handgun. The Lone Star State, which previously required at least four hours of firearm training before receiving a permit, will join 19 other states that allow permitless carry.
Mat Unruh, owner and instructor at Liberty Hill gun and ammo store Round 2 Brass, said he knows some gun license instructors have decided not to renew their license to instruct as he and others prepare for smaller class sizes come Sept. 1.
A constitutionalist who advocates for second amendment rights, Unruh still believes that permitless carry could cause unnecessary danger for both gun owners who don't know Texas' gun laws and the general public.
"I'm a constitutionalist, but at the same time, I'm also a safety-minded person and guns require safety, they require training," Unruh said. "We need to know what we're doing and be proficient and be concise, because... when your gun comes out of your holster, your life is going to change forever."
Aside from learning to shoot a gun, Unruh said gun license training sessions are important because they teach Texans about what they can and can't do with a firearm—for instance, those without permits can't be within 1,000 feet of a school zone with a firearm, carry their firearm while out of state, or have any percentage of alcohol in their blood when carrying a gun.
"We're going to have a whole lot of people carrying firearms that maybe either don't know the law at all or think they do, which is probably more dangerous and more detrimental than actually not knowing anything," Unruh said.
The new law comes in the wake of 2019 mass shootings in El Paso and Midland, a mass shooting incident on Sixth Street in Austin and increased violent crime in the city, Texas and the nation as a whole. GOP lawmakers said they would change certain laws to promote safety, such as the lie and try bill which also goes into effect Sept. 1 that makes it a state crime to lie on a background check to obtain a firearm. But most of the 22 new gun laws going into effect Wednesday will aim to loosen gun restrictions, not tighten them.
Permitless carry does have some conditions, however:
- The law doesn't bar certain federal protocols already in place, like background checks on certain gun sales.
- It won't change much on private gun sales since Texas already doesn't require background checks on private purchases
- The law increases penalties for felons caught carrying guns.
- But it could make it harder to track felons buying guns in the first place.
Ari Frielich, state policy director for the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, said that permitless carry could drastically endanger Texas residents and even law enforcement officials.
"These lawmakers may simply prefer a society that includes zero safeguards to ensure people meet basic eligibility standards and receive basic training before they can carry weapons designed to take human life into public crowds," Freilich said. "The research is clear that flooding public spaces with more hidden loaded guns in more hands makes them less safe. It turns more arguments, road rage incidents, and fistfights into shootings, more injuries into burials, and it can create a civilian arms race in communities most impacted by violence."
Just as he hopes others will know to do, Unruh will tack on two new signs in front of his business come Sept. 1: a sign that reminds customers that the law is in effect, and a 30.05 sign, which will ban those without permits from carrying a gun in his store.
"People ask about it, which I love because it gives us an opportunity to have conversations," Unruh said. "It's not trying to restrict people's rights or anything, it's a safety thing."
Unruh hopes that business owners know to update their signage if they're uncomfortable with new gun laws. His biggest advice to constitutional carry activists, opponents and Texas residents as a whole is to stay informed, check the state's newest gun laws and continue to practice gun safety regardless of permit status.
From Your Site Articles
- Austinites recount mass shooting, call for strict gun policies - austonia ›
- North Austin woman shot and killed hours after mass shooting ... ›
- Affidavit reveals middle school drama led to downtown shooting ... ›
- After 2020 spike, gun sales remain strong in Austin—and U.S. ... ›
- 7 bills to know from contentious Texas legislative session - austonia ›
- After Austin mass shooting, Texas gov signs into law gun bills ... ›
- 5 things to know about the permitless gun carry law in Texas - austonia ›
- Abbott signs long-contested voting bill Tuesday - austonia ›
- Politicians criticize Abbott's plan to 'eliminate rape' in wake of new abortion law - austonia ›
- Politicians criticize Abbott's plan to 'eliminate rape' in wake of new abortion law - austonia ›
Related Articles Around the Web
- Austin Police Chief Chacon opposes permitless carry gun bill, says it ... ›
- Austin mass shooting renews gun control calls in Texas from ... ›
- Austin gun shop owner says new permitless carry law will allow ... ›
- Texas Senate passes bill allowing permitless carry of firearms ... ›
- Texas "constitutional carry" signed into law, goes into effect Sept. 1 ... ›
