Yup, Abortions Are Once Again Illegal in Texas, Thanks to the Texas Supreme Court
WHIPLASH
Late Friday night, the Texas Supreme Court dealt another blow to the already confusing state of abortion rights in Texas: once again, abortions are illegal in the state, the Austin American-Statesman reports. The court blocked a temporary order issued earlier this week that allowed abortions for people up to six weeks pregnant until Texas’ 1925 abortion ban goes into effect at the end of July. The Harris County judge’s order had resumed abortions for providers listed in a lawsuit just four days ago, with several clinics saying they’d start performing the procedure again. Now, the Texas Supreme Court has effectively choked the order after granting part of an emergency motion on behalf of state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who infamously shut down his offices in celebration the day the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last week. The state court’s decision made it possible for people performing abortions to be sued in civil court, but not prosecuted criminally.