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Austin: Difference between revisions
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updated with abortion law changes in texas
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As a major American city and the progressive hub of Texas, Austin has an incredible range of medical facilities and providers. Due to federal regulations, contraception is legal, though a prescription is required. Emergency contraception is also legal and no prescription is required; it can be purchased at pharmacies, drug stores and many clinics. However, there have been reported cases of pharmacists refusing to sell emergency contraception due to personal religious or moral beliefs. | As a major American city and the progressive hub of Texas, Austin has an incredible range of medical facilities and providers. Due to federal regulations, contraception is legal, though a prescription is required. Emergency contraception is also legal and no prescription is required; it can be purchased at pharmacies, drug stores and many clinics. However, there have been reported cases of pharmacists refusing to sell emergency contraception due to personal religious or moral beliefs. | ||
In general, Texas as a state is largely conservative with a strong religious Christian base. While Austin is notably more progressive than many other Texan cities, it still falls under Texas state laws. Abortion is legal in Texas, as it was ruled to be a legal right in Roe v. Wade (1973), but abortion has been consistently challenged in Texas. There have been many laws passed since 2013 that have limited the ability of abortion clinics to operate as well as the ability of women to obtain abortions. Some of these provisions, most notably HB 2, have been challenged and struck down by the United States Supreme Court. But many other restrictions remain in place, creating frustrating circumstances for women. | In general, Texas as a state is largely conservative with a strong religious Christian base. While Austin is notably more progressive than many other Texan cities, it still falls under Texas state laws. Abortion is legal in Texas, as it was ruled to be a legal right in Roe v. Wade (1973), but abortion has been consistently challenged in Texas. There have been many laws passed since 2013 that have limited the ability of abortion clinics to operate as well as the ability of women to obtain abortions. Some of these provisions, most notably HB 2, have been challenged and struck down by the United States Supreme Court. But many other restrictions remain in place, creating frustrating circumstances for women. In August 2021, a law went into effect in Texas that banned abortion after six weeks of pregnancy.<ref name=":02">https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-6-week-abortion-ban-has-officially-become-law-2021-8</ref> | ||
Overall, Austin is a dynamic city and Texas is a huge state. This means that, while there are certainly restrictions that impose great difficulty, there are also a wealth of resources that can be sought after. | Overall, Austin is a dynamic city and Texas is a huge state. This means that, while there are certainly restrictions that impose great difficulty, there are also a wealth of resources that can be sought after. | ||
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[[File:Texaswomenprotest.jpg|450px | thumb|left|frame|'''Texas women protest SB 5/HB 2'''.]] | [[File:Texaswomenprotest.jpg|450px | thumb|left|frame|'''Texas women protest SB 5/HB 2'''.]] | ||
In August 2021, a law went into effect in Texas that banned abortion after six weeks of pregnancy.<ref name=":03">https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-6-week-abortion-ban-has-officially-become-law-2021-8</ref> However, this was soon followed by a temporary restraining order on Texas Right to Life to enforce the ban.<ref>https://sports.yahoo.com/news/texas-judge-sides-abortion-providers-010058708.html</ref> In total, this means that Texas has very restrictive abortion laws, but enforcement of these laws is still being determined. | |||
Historically, since 1973, abortion has been legal in the United States under the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision. Yet in Texas, abortion has been consistently challenged, where additional restrictions have been placed on clinics, health care providers and women seeking abortions. | |||
One of the most controversial laws came in 2013, when Texas Governor Rick Perry signed House Bill 2 (known as "HB 2"), an anti-abortion bill. According to this law, "Abortion doctors must have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the abortion clinic."<ref>[http://fundtexaschoice.org/what-is-hb2/ What is HB2?]</ref> Furthermore, abortion clinics must align by standards meant for ambulatory surgical centers, which have strict regulations on buildings, equipment and staff. Because nearly all abortion doctors have no admitting privileges to such hospitals in Texas, and because the hospitals have no incentives to provide such access, this forced many clinics to close down. Furthermore, because most abortion clinics don't have the funding or resources to abide by ambulatory standards, this also forced abortion clinics to close down. In the years following HB 2, Texas went from having 40 abortion clinics to only 19.<ref>[https://www.texastribune.org/2016/06/28/texas-abortion-clinics-have-closed-hb2-passed-2013/ Texas Abortion Clinics That Have Closed Since 2013]</ref> This lead to a situation in which many Texas women did not have access to abortion clinics in their areas, and they were forced to travel very long distances, oftentimes out of state, to obtain abortions. | One of the most controversial laws came in 2013, when Texas Governor Rick Perry signed House Bill 2 (known as "HB 2"), an anti-abortion bill. According to this law, "Abortion doctors must have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the abortion clinic."<ref>[http://fundtexaschoice.org/what-is-hb2/ What is HB2?]</ref> Furthermore, abortion clinics must align by standards meant for ambulatory surgical centers, which have strict regulations on buildings, equipment and staff. Because nearly all abortion doctors have no admitting privileges to such hospitals in Texas, and because the hospitals have no incentives to provide such access, this forced many clinics to close down. Furthermore, because most abortion clinics don't have the funding or resources to abide by ambulatory standards, this also forced abortion clinics to close down. In the years following HB 2, Texas went from having 40 abortion clinics to only 19.<ref>[https://www.texastribune.org/2016/06/28/texas-abortion-clinics-have-closed-hb2-passed-2013/ Texas Abortion Clinics That Have Closed Since 2013]</ref> This lead to a situation in which many Texas women did not have access to abortion clinics in their areas, and they were forced to travel very long distances, oftentimes out of state, to obtain abortions. | ||