Supreme Court asked to block Texas abortion law deputizing citizens to enforce six-week ban
By Ann Marimow, Emily Wax-Thibodeaux
Abortion rights advocates asked the Supreme Court on Monday to block a Texas law from taking effect this week that allows private individuals to sue to enforce a ban on abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy.
The law incentivizes citizens to sue anyone suspected of helping a woman get an abortion, including people who drive a patient to a Texas clinic or provide financial help. Under the ban, those who successfully sue an abortion provider or health center worker are awarded at least $10,000.
It would be one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country, effectively outlawing the procedure at a stage before many women are aware that they are pregnant. Unlike similar bans that have been blocked in court, the Texas law is specifically designed to prevent judges from stopping it before it can take effect because it calls for private citizens — not government officials such as prosecutors — to enforce the measure.
Lawyers for abortion providers told the Supreme Court that the law, which is supposed to take effect Wednesday, “would immediately and catastrophically reduce abortion access in Texas” and probably force many clinics to close.
“Patients who can scrape together resources will be forced to attempt to leave the state to obtain an abortion, and many will be delayed until later in pregnancy. The remaining Texans who need an abortion will be forced to remain pregnant against their will or to attempt to end their pregnancies without medical supervision,” the filing states.
The Supreme Court gave supporters of the law until 5 p.m. Tuesday to respond.
The emergency application was directed to Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., who reviews such requests from that region of the country. Alito called for the response from the state officials and individuals named in the case.
The request for intervention comes after an appeals court in Texas abruptly postponed a U.S. District Court hearing scheduled for Monday. Opponents of the law had planned to ask a federal judge in Austin to stop the measure from taking effect on Sept. 1.
But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit called off the hearing in a brief unsigned order. A three-judge panel also rejected a request from abortion rights advocates to take the case on an expedited basis or to put the law on hold pending appeal.
READ MORE: Supreme Court asked to block Texas abortion law deputizing citizens to enforce six-week ban
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Posted By: Dea. Ron Gray Sr.
Tuesday, August 31st 2021 at 10:40AM
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