Senate Bill 8 came into effect in Texas Sept. 1, banning abortions six weeks after fertilization. This is immoral and unconstitutional.
Roe v. Wade decided in the first trimester of pregnancy, the state may not regulate the abortion decision. This makes the passing of the bill against the law under the Supremacy Clause.
To ensure this new law has its desired effect, the Texas Court has offered a $10,000 reward to anyone who wins an abortion lawsuit after suing someone for helping a woman get an abortion.
Allowing citizens to police other citizens will make it difficult for abortion clinics in Texas to stay open for fear that they will have to face legal cases and scrutinization for every abortion they perform.
There is no exemption from this law in cases of rape or incest; only in medical emergencies where the pregnancy is life-threatening to the woman will she be allowed to have an abortion. This clause in the bill can also be considered somewhat of a grey area. This can have a different outcome based on what each physician deems a life-threatening medical emergency.
One of the most significant issues with this law is prohibiting women from getting an abortion will not stop many from getting them, but it will prevent them from doing it safely.
Many women will go through drastic measures to terminate their pregnancy. Unsafe abortions cause 4.7 to 13.2 percent of maternal deaths each year. This number is likely to increase with laws restricting safe abortions.
The women who are lucky enough to survive an unsafe abortion risk enduring long-term damage to their organs as well as tears in their uterus. This will also make it difficult for them to conceive down the line if they wish to.
Legal issues aside, the moral implications of this law will have a detrimental effect on the lives of countless women and children. If advocates of this bill want to protect the lives of children, they should be just as concerned about the child after birth.
Those who support laws restricting women’s rights to their bodies usually argue that women can give the baby up for adoption. Unfortunately, not all infants end up with families or in foster care.
In Texas, nearly 1,200 youths age out of the foster care system each year, a small fraction of the 23,000 youths who age out in the United States annually.
The early life of a child is crucial, and when a child deals with neglect or abuse in foster care, it affects their behavior and ability to interact with others. Many of those children struggle with these issues, which follow them into adulthood.
In order to protect women’s safety and children from hardship, revoking Senate Bill 8 should be a top priority for Texas Democrats.
Natasha Biswas is a Biology sophomore who can be reached at [email protected]