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Houston: Difference between revisions
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changes after overturning roe v. wade
(updated with abortion law changes) |
(changes after overturning roe v. wade) |
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'''OVERVIEW''' | '''OVERVIEW''' | ||
As a major American city, Houston has an incredible range of medical facilities and providers. While there are certainly restrictions that impose great difficulty, there are also a wealth of resources that can be sought after. 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. This heavily impacts the political and social climate of the state, and in particular abortion law. | As a major American city, Houston has an incredible range of medical facilities and providers. While there are certainly restrictions that impose great difficulty, there are also a wealth of resources that can be sought after. 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. This heavily impacts the political and social climate of the state, and in particular abortion law. | ||
Abortion in Texas became illegal in June 2022. That year, the United States Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, a ruling that formerly protected federal abortion rights.<ref name=":0">https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/3535742-read-the-supreme-court-ruling-overturning-roe-v-wade/</ref> This means that states can determine their own abortion laws. In the state of Texas, a "trigger law" was in place, which meant that abortion would be declared illegal if Roe v. Wade was overturned. Immediately after Roe v. Wade was overturned, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton declared that abortion was illegal in the state.<ref name=":1">https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/roe-v-wade-abortion-scotus-supreme-court-ruling-texas-trigger-law-explainer/287-75949629-4a17-4b50-9cea-0810cc5bef69</ref> This total ban was followed after other restrictive measures. For example, in August 2021, a law went into effect in Texas that banned abortion after six weeks of pregnancy.<ref>https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-6-week-abortion-ban-has-officially-become-law-2021-8</ref> | |||
==Contraception== | ==Contraception== | ||
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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=":0" /> 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. | Abortion in Texas became illegal in June 2022. That year, the United States Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, a ruling that formerly protected federal abortion rights.<ref name=":0" /> This means that states can determine their own abortion laws. In the state of Texas, a "trigger law" was in place, which meant that abortion would be declared illegal if Roe v. Wade was overturned. Immediately after Roe v. Wade was overturned, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton declared that abortion was illegal in the state.<ref name=":1" /> This total ban was followed after other restrictive measures. For example, in August 2021, a law went into effect in Texas that banned abortion after six weeks of pregnancy.<ref name=":0">https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-6-week-abortion-ban-has-officially-become-law-2021-8</ref> | ||
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> 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, | Historically, before the overturning of the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision, abortion was federally legal in the United States. Yet in Texas, abortion was 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. | ||