The Texas Supreme Court on Friday rejected a closely watched challenge to the state’s restrictive abortion ban, ruling against a group of women who had serious pregnancy complications and became the first in the U.S. to testify in court about being denied abortions since Roe v. Wade was overturned.

In a unanimous ruling, the all-Republican court upheld the Texas law that opponents say is too vague when it comes to when medically necessary exceptions are allowed. The same issue was at the center of a separate lawsuit brought last year by Kate Cox, a mother of two from Dallas, who sought court permission to obtain an abortion after her fetus developed a fatal condition during a pregnancy that resulted in multiple trips to an emergency room.

Abortion rights activists have struggled to stem the tide of restrictions that have taken effect in most Republican-led states since the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 overturned Roe vs Wade, which for nearly 50 years had affirmed the constitutional right to an abortion.

The court said the law’s exceptions, as written, are broad enough and that doctors would be misinterpreting the law if they declined to perform an abortion when the mother’s life is in danger.

  • TachyonTele@lemm.ee
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    5 months ago

    "Texas law permits a life-saving abortion,” the court wrote in the order signed by Justice Jane Bland.

    Under the law in Texas, doctors who perform abortions risk life in prison, fines of up to $100,000 and revocation of their state medical licenses.

    Hmmmm

    • Schadrach@lemmy.sdf.org
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      5 months ago

      That’s kinda the point - Texas permits a life-saving abortion, but is super vague as to what counts as “life-saving” and if it’s not life-saving **enough ** then comes the extreme punishment.

    • مهما طال الليل@lemm.ee
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      5 months ago

      Under the law in Texas, doctors who perform abortions risk life in prison, fines of up to $100,000 and revocation of their state medical licenses.

      This is excessive. Way too much. Cruel and unusual punishment is against the US constitution.

      Seriously, just consider the following from bad evil theocratic authoritarian Saudi Arabia:

      Expat doctor, nurse arrested in Saudi Arabia over unsafe abortions

      The Ministry of Health in Riyadh referred the two medical professionals to the public prosecutor, and they face imprisonment for up to six months and a fine of up to $26,000 (100,000 riyals).