The Texas legislature on Tuesday passed a bill that will criminalize performing an abortion in Texas if the US Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.
House Bill 1280 is designed to take effect 30 days after any US Supreme Court ruling limiting the right to abortion. It states that Texans “may not knowingly, perform, induce, or attempt an abortion.” The only exception to this states that abortions are allowed if the mother’s life is at risk or the pregnancy causes a “serious risk of substantial impairment of major bodily function.” However, in each of these cases, the physician is directed to perform the procedure in a way that “provides the best opportunity for the unborn child to survive.”
The bill details tough penalties for abortion doctors, including large fines for each infraction and a possible term of life in prison. The bill also mandates that health care professionals who violate HB 1280 lose their medical licenses.
This bill comes after Texas recently passed a “heartbeat bill” that would effectively ban abortion after about the sixth week of pregnancy.
HB 1280 now heads to Governor Greg Abbott’s desk to be signed into law.