The Texas “heartbeat” bill, also known as Senate Bill 8, remains fully intact in the Lone Star State, finishing off a pro-abortion plaintiffs’ lawsuit against the state.
On Twitter, Paxton stated, “Today I secured a major victory in the Texas Supreme Court re. the Texas Heartbeat Act (SB 8). This measure, which has saved thousands of unborn babies, remains fully in effect, and the pro-abortion plaintiffs’ lawsuit against the state is essentially finished. TEXAS IS PRO-LIFE!”
Texas’ heartbeat bill was met with staunch resistance by advocates for abortion, who decried a woman’s right to end a child’s life in the womb. The law protects unborn babies from being terminated via abortion once fetal cardiac activity is detected.
In other words, if the baby has a heartbeat, the mother cannot abort him or her.
After Texas implemented the heartbeat bill in September 2021, abortions in Texas fell nearly 60 percent within the first month. Additionally, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruled 5-4 shortly following the bill’s implementation to uphold the ban, the nation’s most comprehensive outlawing of abortions.
Additionally, Texas’ firm stance against abortion has caused a ripple effect across the United States, with states like Kentucky and Florida looking to follow Texas’ lead and tighten restrictions for women seeking to terminate their pregnancies.
The law allows abortion providers to sue the state, but it remains to be seen if those lawsuits will hold any water in light of the legal standing that the ban brings to the table. Once a heartbeat is detected, which is typically between the fifth and sixth week of pregnancy, an abortion is illegal in Texas, which will make challenges to the bill difficult for pro-abortion advocates.
As it stands right now, Attorney General Ken Paxton’s legal victory in the court against pro-abortion plaintiffs who were bringing challenges against the bill is a significant step forward for proponents of protecting life in the womb.