On June 24, 2022, the United States Supreme Court issued its ruling inDobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. A judgment did not issue at the same time, but it indicated to state governments that a judgment would be issued soon.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued anadvisory letter following the decision which stated the following:
Today, the Court issued its opinion reversing Roe, but it has yet to issue its judgment. A judgment is a legal document distinct from the Court’s opinion. The Court will issue its judgment only after the window for the litigants to file a motion for rehearing has closed. A judgment can issue in about a month, or longer if the Court considers a motion for rehearing. So while it is clear that the Act will take effect, we cannot calculate exactly when until the Court issues its judgment. My office will publicly announce an effective date for the Act as soon as possible—and we look forward to doing so.
On July 26, 2022, the Supreme Court issued its judgment in Dobbs. In response, Attorney General Paxton issued another advisory letter announcing that the law would go into effect on August 25, 2022.
In the same advisory letter quoted above, Attorney General Paxton suggested the enforcement of pre-Roestatutes outlawing abortion:
What’s more, some prosecutors may choose to immediately pursue criminal prosecutions based on violations of Texas abortion prohibitions predating Roe that were never repealed by the Texas Legislature.Although these statutes were unenforceable while Roe was on the books, they are still Texas law. Under these pre-Roe statutes, abortion providers could be criminally liable for providing abortions starting today.
For more details on these pre-Roelaws, please see the "1925 Laws" box on the "History of Abortion Laws" page.
FAQs
The Texas legislature passed the trigger law on abortion in 2021. It opens up doctors and medical staff to criminal prosecution and allows for civil lawsuits against the same party. Are you being criminally prosecuted for assisting an abortion? If so, you need legal representation as soon as possible.
What states have a heartbeat law? ›
Eleven states have proposed bills for six-week abortion bans since 2018; since 2019, such bills have passed including bills in Ohio, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, Alabama, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Texas, most of which lie either partly or entirely in the Bible Belt.
Is Plan B illegal in Texas? ›
The "Plan B" pill is legal in all 50 states without age restrictions.
What is the meaning of trigger ban? ›
plural trigger laws also trigger bans. : a currently unenforceable law that upon the occurrence of an event (such as a court decision) becomes enforceable. A Louisiana judge blocked enforcement on Monday of statewide abortion ban designed to automatically go into effect when Roe [v. Wade] fell.
Does Texas have a heartbeat law? ›
The Texas Heartbeat Act, which has been in effect since September 2021, prohibits abortions once a 'fetal heartbeat' is detected, except in emergency situations. The law significantly limits access to abortion services in Texas, by essentially prohibiting abortions post 6 weeks' gestation.
What is a trigger provision? ›
Mandatory Trigger Provision means, as to any security or combination of securities, provisions in the terms thereof or in the related transaction agreements that (A) require, or at its option in the case of perpetual non-cumulative preferred stock permit, the issuer of such security or combination of securities to make ...
Where is Plan B illegal? ›
This includes two-thirds of women of childbearing age (18-49) who incorrectly say emergency contraceptive pills can end a pregnancy in its early stages. Emergency contraceptives like “Plan B” are legal in all 50 states.
How to get a Plan B for free? ›
If you're insured, you may be able to obtain Plan B for free. But even if you're not insured, you may be able to receive it for free or at a low cost from Planned Parenthood, your local health department, or other local low-cost clinics.
Is Plan B legal in OK? ›
Emergency contraceptives like "Plan B" are legal in all 50 states.
What is trigger rule? ›
A trigger rule — more formally a Declare Trigger rule — is an instance of the Rule-Declare-Trigger rule type. A trigger rule identifies an activity that runs automatically when an object of a specific class is saved in or deleted from the PegaRULES database.
It's drifted away from being directly linked to trauma into the realm of more general mental health to describe a strong negative emotion to a situation that's disturbing you in some way. 'Triggered' is often used colloquially, even being used to mock people perceived as weak, overly sensitive, or easily upset.
What is a trigger in social? ›
Triggers refer to the experience of having an emotional reaction to a disturbing topic (such as violence or the mention of suicide) in the media or a social setting. However, there is a difference between being triggered and being uncomfortable.
What is the new abortion law in Texas? ›
Texas first passed a law in 2021 that banned most abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy — before many women know they are pregnant. When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, it activated a Texas trigger law on abortion.
What happened to Kate Cox in Texas? ›
Although Cox had received a fatal fetal diagnosis and continuing the pregnancy would pose risks to her health and future fertility, the Texas Supreme Court ruled in December 2023 that it would not allow her to get an abortion in the state. Cox, the plaintiff in Cox v.
What is the Dobbs and trigger law? ›
Thirteen states have abortion ban “trigger” laws that took effect in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs decision. Generally, these laws prohibit abortion at any stage of pregnancy except in specified circ*mstances, such as when necessary to protect the pregnant woman's life in a medical emergency.
What is the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act? ›
In May 2023 the Legislature passed H.B. 2127—the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act (the “Act”)—a broad-based attempt to preempt local regulation of Texas businesses.
