Editorial: Texas abortion law causes debate throughout the nation
In the past few weeks, there has been chalk all around campus supporting both anti-abortion and abortion rights ideologies. This debate has been brought forward again because of the abortion law being put into place in Texas.
The Texas law bans abortion as soon as a heartbeat is detectable, which is around six weeks for normal pregnancies. For many women, this could be before they know they are pregnant. What makes this law so different is it allows private citizens to sue abortion providers.
This new law has caused a lot of chaos and confusion. It doesn’t allow people seeking an abortion to be sued, but it also doesn’t allow providers of abortion to perform abortions legally after six weeks into pregnancy.
The Supreme Court has recently voted on the constitutionality of this law, and in a 5-4 vote, the Texas abortion law will remain. Other states have attempted to pass similar laws in the past concerning abortion but were blocked by abortion-rights activists and federal courts. Now, some state legislatures are looking to implement similar laws within their state.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem hopes to investigate reinforcing the state’s laws.
“Following the Supreme Court’s decision to leave the pro-life TX law in place, I have directed the Unborn Child Advocate in my office to immediately review the new TX law and current South Dakota laws to make sure we have the strongest pro-life laws on the books in SD,” Noem said in a recent Twitter post.
With the new law in place in Texas, there is now a move to change abortion laws in other states such as South Dakota, Idaho and Florida. Oklahoma has already passed a similar law that will take effect at the beginning of November. Some states have trigger laws, which means abortion restrictions will be put in place if other legislation is passed.
Some abortion facilities have temporarily stopped offering the procedure because they fear getting sued. This new law will hit these facilities hard. New lawsuits will take time and money away from providing for patients.
The new law in Texas is extremely intrusive for pregnant women. The same government who says a mask requirement is intrusive just passed the nation’s most restrictive abortion law. This same law asks its citizens to become spies against their neighbors and to report them. The Texas government is telling women what to do with their bodies but says it’s illegal to demand someone wear a mask. People have the right to do what they decide is best, not just when it benefits others.
