WEATHER ALERT
Lawyers for Houston-area midwife accused of illegal abortions condemn state’s investigation
Read full article: Lawyers for Houston-area midwife accused of illegal abortions condemn state’s investigationMaria Rojas’ attorneys got their first chance to address the claims against her Thursday. She was released on bond but a judge ordered the clinics to remain closed.
Abortion opponents laud bill that would clamp down on pill providers and out-of-state abortions
Read full article: Abortion opponents laud bill that would clamp down on pill providers and out-of-state abortionsSome health care providers in support of Senate Bill 2880 said people who are mailed abortion pills aren’t given instructions and do not receive follow-up care.
Amid support from doctors group, bill to clarify Texas’ abortion ban does little to save lives, critics say
Read full article: Amid support from doctors group, bill to clarify Texas’ abortion ban does little to save lives, critics saySenate Bill 31 supporters say it would clarify when doctors should intervene to save a pregnant woman’s life, but critics say its vagueness and a measure to resurrect pre-Roe laws hamper it.
NY county clerk refuses to file Texas’ fine for doctor accused of prescribing abortion pills
Read full article: NY county clerk refuses to file Texas’ fine for doctor accused of prescribing abortion pillsA Texas judge last month ordered Dr. Margaret Carpenter, who practices north of New York City, to pay the penalty for allegedly breaking that state’s law by prescribing abortion medication via telemedicine.
Houston-area midwife accused of performing illegal abortions posts bond, invokes fifth amendment on the stand
Read full article: Houston-area midwife accused of performing illegal abortions posts bond, invokes fifth amendment on the standA judge will hear arguments on a temporary restraining order by the AG's Office to shut down the medical clinics owned by Maria Rojas, who is accused of performing illegal abortions and practicing medicine without a license.
Woman claims Houston-area midwife pressured her into abortion, court docs reveal
Read full article: Woman claims Houston-area midwife pressured her into abortion, court docs revealMaria Rojas, a Houston woman, is under investigation for allegedly posing as a licensed gynecologist and operating multiple birthing clinics without proper licensing, as revealed in recently released court documents.
Pro-life, pro-choice activists react to illegal abortion arrest
Read full article: Pro-life, pro-choice activists react to illegal abortion arrestWhile pro-life activists believe there needs to be stronger crackdown on illegal abortion, pro-choice activists say the overturning of Roe V. Wade has had detrimental consequences.
Court order halts operations at Houston-area clinics accused of illegal abortions
Read full article: Court order halts operations at Houston-area clinics accused of illegal abortionsAttorney General Ken Paxton announced the closure of several Houston-area abortion clinics and the arrest of their operator, Maria Margarita Rojas, for unlawfully providing abortions and employing unlicensed individuals.
Investigators allege Houston-area midwife of administering drug Misopristol to patient
Read full article: Investigators allege Houston-area midwife of administering drug Misopristol to patientCourt documents obtained by KPRC 2 News reveal a Houston area midwife accused of performing illegal abortions may have administered the abortion pill Misoprostol to a patient.
3rd employee arrested in Houston-area illegal abortion investigation
Read full article: 3rd employee arrested in Houston-area illegal abortion investigationTwo more employees have been arrested in the investigation into several Houston-area clinics where investigators say abortions were performed illegally.
‘She’s innocent' Friend of midwife accused of performing illegal abortions shares insight
Read full article: ‘She’s innocent' Friend of midwife accused of performing illegal abortions shares insightA Houston area midwife and her worker are facing felony charges accused of performing illegal abortions.
Texas Republicans seek to clarify when doctors can intervene under abortion bans
Read full article: Texas Republicans seek to clarify when doctors can intervene under abortion bansA Senate bill filed Friday does not expand abortion access, but aims to give doctors clarity while operating under laws that come with up to life in prison.
Will lawmakers let Texas’ maternal mortality committee review abortion deaths?
Read full article: Will lawmakers let Texas’ maternal mortality committee review abortion deaths?The Legislature is considering bills that would lift long-standing restrictions on how Texas’ panel can investigate maternal deaths and near-misses.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says Legislature should clarify Texas abortion law to protect mothers at risk
Read full article: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says Legislature should clarify Texas abortion law to protect mothers at riskPatrick on Sunday said the Legislature should amend the language of the state’s near-total abortion ban to address confusion over when doctors may terminate pregnancies.
Longtime Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards dies after battle with brain cancer
Read full article: Longtime Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards dies after battle with brain cancerRichards, the eldest daughter of Gov. Ann Richards, forged her own path as a tireless advocate for women across Texas and the United States.
Texas Medical Board director retires after uproar over his Planned Parenthood employment
Read full article: Texas Medical Board director retires after uproar over his Planned Parenthood employmentConservative lawmakers claimed credit for Dr. Robert Bredt’s retirement after it came out he also worked at a Planned Parenthood-affiliated lab.
U.S. House members want answers on Texas’ decision to not review maternal deaths after near-total abortion ban
Read full article: U.S. House members want answers on Texas’ decision to not review maternal deaths after near-total abortion banU.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas led a letter calling for a briefing on why the state won’t review 2022 and 2023 deaths.
Campaign finance records don’t capture total spending on Amarillo abortion “travel ban” election
Read full article: Campaign finance records don’t capture total spending on Amarillo abortion “travel ban” electionSeveral prominent Amarillo business people donated to support the so-called travel ban. Meanwhile, statewide progressive groups helped the opposition.
Why Democrats’ abortion messaging failed to resonate in Texas, despite unpopular bans
Read full article: Why Democrats’ abortion messaging failed to resonate in Texas, despite unpopular bansTexas’ strict abortion bans made it “ground zero” for Democrats hoping to rile up their base, but voters prioritized economic issues.
Texas lawmakers target property taxes, abortion and gender transition care in first bills for the 2025 session
Read full article: Texas lawmakers target property taxes, abortion and gender transition care in first bills for the 2025 sessionTuesday marked the first day lawmakers could file bills for next year’s legislative session.
Cal Hendrick wins Odessa mayor’s race, beating incumbent who focused on faith
Read full article: Cal Hendrick wins Odessa mayor’s race, beating incumbent who focused on faithOdessa City Council critics have worried Joven and his allies have focused too much on social issues and not enough on infrastructure.
Texas OB-GYNs urge lawmakers to change abortion laws after reports on pregnant women's deaths
Read full article: Texas OB-GYNs urge lawmakers to change abortion laws after reports on pregnant women's deathsThe group of 111 doctors cited recent ProPublica reporting on two pregnant women who died because doctors did not provide lifesaving care.
Galveston man drops wrongful death claims against women who allegedly helped his ex-wife get an abortion
Read full article: Galveston man drops wrongful death claims against women who allegedly helped his ex-wife get an abortionMarcus Silva and the women agreed to drop lawsuits against each other just days before they were set to go to trial.
Can ire over abortion ban finally put a Democrat on the Texas Supreme Court?
Read full article: Can ire over abortion ban finally put a Democrat on the Texas Supreme Court?Three Republican incumbents are being targeted for their role in recent abortion rulings by a new Democratic political action committee.
Texas maternal mortality committee asks to review abortion-related deaths
Read full article: Texas maternal mortality committee asks to review abortion-related deathsThe panel wants to review those cases, which have been excluded from state data for years, and other reforms amid a report that shows a spike in maternal deaths.
Why a conservative Texas mayor defied his peers and put the brakes on an abortion “travel ban”
Read full article: Why a conservative Texas mayor defied his peers and put the brakes on an abortion “travel ban”Amarillo Mayor Cole Stanley calls himself “pro-life.” But the proposal to police the streets for women traveling out of state to get an abortion is overreach, he said.
Democrats hope anti-voucher campaign will help win back South Texas House seat
Read full article: Democrats hope anti-voucher campaign will help win back South Texas House seatThe first-term Republican defending her seat said a private school voucher program will help her community, especially students from low-income families.
Odessa’s mayor ran to help the West Texas city “repent.” Now he wants a second term.
Read full article: Odessa’s mayor ran to help the West Texas city “repent.” Now he wants a second term.Under Javier Joven’s leadership, his critics say, the Odessa City Council has lost focus on municipal issues like roads and water infrastructure.
After being denied a medically necessary abortion, Amanda Zurawski will do whatever it takes to beat Donald Trump
Read full article: After being denied a medically necessary abortion, Amanda Zurawski will do whatever it takes to beat Donald TrumpTwo years after a harrowing pregnancy where she was denied an abortion, the Texan has catapulted to being one of Democrats’ biggest messengers on reproductive rights.
Texas woman who fled the state to receive possible life-saving abortion speaks during state’s rollcall at DNC in Chicago
Read full article: Texas woman who fled the state to receive possible life-saving abortion speaks during state’s rollcall at DNC in ChicagoA Texas woman who says she was forced to leave her home state to obtain a potentially life-saving abortion delivered a speech during the Lone Star States’ roll call Tuesday night at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago.
In new complaint, Texas women say delayed care due to abortion laws endangered their fertility
Read full article: In new complaint, Texas women say delayed care due to abortion laws endangered their fertilityTexas law allows doctors to terminate ectopic pregnancies, but both women say they were denied care until it was too late.
Support for legal abortion has risen since Supreme Court eliminated protections, AP-NORC poll finds
Read full article: Support for legal abortion has risen since Supreme Court eliminated protections, AP-NORC poll findsA new poll finds that a solid majority of Americans oppose a federal abortion ban and that a rising number appear to support access to abortions for any reason.
Abortion on the ballot: Amarillo set to vote on abortion travel ban this election
Read full article: Abortion on the ballot: Amarillo set to vote on abortion travel ban this electionAfter the Amarillo City Council balked at such an ordinance last year, residents collected signatures for a ballot measure.
As a Texas city debates an abortion travel ban, maternal care is scarce in nearby rural counties
Read full article: As a Texas city debates an abortion travel ban, maternal care is scarce in nearby rural countiesAmid a fight over an “abortion travel ban,” women health care experts say more attention is needed to the plight of pregnant Texans in the Panhandle where there are few hospitals and OBGYNs.
At five hour hearing, no one is happy with Texas Medical Board’s proposed abortion guidance
Read full article: At five hour hearing, no one is happy with Texas Medical Board’s proposed abortion guidanceDoctors, lawyers and advocates say the state board’s new guidance still doesn’t clarify when doctors can legally perform abortions.
Nevada abortion-rights measure has enough signatures for November ballot, supporters say
Read full article: Nevada abortion-rights measure has enough signatures for November ballot, supporters sayAbortion access advocates in Nevada say they have submitted almost twice the number of petition signatures needed to qualify a measure for the November ballot that would enshrine reproductive rights in the state constitution.
Clarendon City Council rejects ordinance banning travel to access abortion outside of Texas
Read full article: Clarendon City Council rejects ordinance banning travel to access abortion outside of TexasClarendon is one of the first cities in Texas to reject the ordinance, after several cities and counties passed similar measures
Anti-abortion crusader’s deposition requests generate fear, but no findings
Read full article: Anti-abortion crusader’s deposition requests generate fear, but no findingsJonathan Mitchell has filed at least nine petitions seeking information from abortion activists, doctors and women. None have resulted in a deposition.
Amarillo council may reconsider abortion travel ban after residents gather 10,000 signatures
Read full article: Amarillo council may reconsider abortion travel ban after residents gather 10,000 signaturesSupporters began the petition drive after the City Council punted on the proposed policy. Voters may have the final say.
New reporting requirements for life-saving abortions worry some doctors
Read full article: New reporting requirements for life-saving abortions worry some doctorsThe proposed guidance from the Texas Medical Board would require doctors to document whether there was time to transfer a patient “by any means available” to avoid performing an abortion.
US abortion battle rages on with moves to repeal Arizona ban and a Supreme Court case
Read full article: US abortion battle rages on with moves to repeal Arizona ban and a Supreme Court caseThe U.S. Supreme Court is considering another abortion-related case while a repeal of Arizona's abortion ban has picked up steam.
Texas, Idaho abortion bans test against federal emergency medicine rule
Read full article: Texas, Idaho abortion bans test against federal emergency medicine ruleHospitals are required to stabilize anyone experiencing a medical emergency. Two lawsuits question whether that includes performing an abortion, despite state laws.
Abortion in Germany should be decriminalized during pregnancy's first 12 weeks, experts recommend
Read full article: Abortion in Germany should be decriminalized during pregnancy's first 12 weeks, experts recommendAn independent expert commission has recommended that abortion in Germany should no longer fall under the country’s penal code and be made legal during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Texas woman charged with murder for self-induced abortion sues Starr County district attorney
Read full article: Texas woman charged with murder for self-induced abortion sues Starr County district attorneyThe Starr County district attorney dropped the improper charges, but the fallout “forever changed the Plaintiff’s life,” a new federal lawsuit says.
Texas Medical Board proposes new guidance for abortion medical exceptions
Read full article: Texas Medical Board proposes new guidance for abortion medical exceptionsThe guidance was disappointing to reproductive rights advocates who were seeking more specificity and a list of conditions that could qualify.
Texas Medical Board to consider issuing guidance on abortion laws’ medical exceptions
Read full article: Texas Medical Board to consider issuing guidance on abortion laws’ medical exceptionsOn March 22, the board will discuss clarifying what counts as a medical exception to the state’s abortion restrictions.
Texas anti-abortion activists pushed abortion restrictions in New Mexico, records show
Read full article: Texas anti-abortion activists pushed abortion restrictions in New Mexico, records showA handful of cities and counties in New Mexico have passed restrictions – with help from Texans Mark Lee Dickson and attorney Jonathan Mitchell.
Texas prosecutor disciplined for allowing murder charge against woman who self-managed an abortion
Read full article: Texas prosecutor disciplined for allowing murder charge against woman who self-managed an abortionThe State Bar of Texas has fined and suspended Starr County’s district attorney for pursuing a murder indictment against 26-year-old woman after she self-managed an abortion.
Disabled Texans face more barriers to accessing abortion
Read full article: Disabled Texans face more barriers to accessing abortionFew organizations track the number of disabled individuals trying to access abortion, but abortion providers and groups that help assist Texans obtain out-of-state abortions say they are falling through the cracks.
Texas conservatives test how far they can extend abortion and gender-transition restrictions beyond state lines
Read full article: Texas conservatives test how far they can extend abortion and gender-transition restrictions beyond state linesRecent state and local legal maneuvers signal that Texas’ conservative movement could be wading into a complicated Constitutional morass the country hasn’t dealt with since before the Civil War.
Houston-based attorney pleads guilty to secretly dropping abortion drugs into his pregnant wife’s drink
Read full article: Houston-based attorney pleads guilty to secretly dropping abortion drugs into his pregnant wife’s drinkA Houston-based attorney has been sentenced after being accused of drugging his pregnant wife in an effort to induce an abortion.
Bidens invite Kate Cox, Dallas mom who sued to terminate pregnancy, to State of the Union address
Read full article: Bidens invite Kate Cox, Dallas mom who sued to terminate pregnancy, to State of the Union addressThe Supreme Court of Texas ruled against Cox’s lawsuit to block the state’s abortion ban. She traveled out of state to have an abortion.
Online message boards give closer look inside Amarillo’s heated abortion debate
Read full article: Online message boards give closer look inside Amarillo’s heated abortion debateAfter months of consideration from the Amarillo City Council, an abortion travel ban is gaining support through a new citizen-led petition.
Emergency rooms not required to perform life-saving abortions, federal appeals court rules
Read full article: Emergency rooms not required to perform life-saving abortions, federal appeals court rulesThe Biden administration reminded hospitals of their obligation to perform life-saving abortions under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act after the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Texas sued, arguing it was an overstep that mandated abortions.
Texas Medical Board remains silent on abortion laws, despite calls for more guidance
Read full article: Texas Medical Board remains silent on abortion laws, despite calls for more guidanceThe Texas Supreme Court has asked the licensing board to offer doctors guidance on how to interpret the medical exception to the state’s abortion ban. Some doctors say that wouldn’t be enough reassurance.
Amarillo City Council says it needs more time to debate abortion travel ban
Read full article: Amarillo City Council says it needs more time to debate abortion travel banAfter weeks of debate, the council took no action at a politically-charged meeting Tuesday. It is the largest city in Texas to debate an ordinance that would outlaw travel on its roadways to get an abortion.
Who are the Texas Supreme Court Justices who ruled in Kate Cox‘s abortion case?
Read full article: Who are the Texas Supreme Court Justices who ruled in Kate Cox‘s abortion case?The Texas Supreme Court rejected a mother of two’s request to get an abortion under the state’s restrictive ban, putting a spotlight on how women deal with pregnancy complications that can result in potentially life-threatening issues.
After pause, this Texas city is set to reconsider banning travel to access an abortion
Read full article: After pause, this Texas city is set to reconsider banning travel to access an abortionA handful of local governments have already put the legally dubious bans in place. The news that Amarillo will take the issue up again comes shortly after a Dallas woman left the state for an abortion after losing a legal battle to obtain one here.
Kate Cox’s case reveals how far Texas intends to go to enforce abortion laws
Read full article: Kate Cox’s case reveals how far Texas intends to go to enforce abortion lawsThe Dallas mom’s case drew national attention and forced the abortion issue before the state Supreme Court. She ended up traveling out of state to terminate her non-viable pregnancy.
Texas Supreme Court blocks order allowing abortion; woman who sought it leaves state
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court blocks order allowing abortion; woman who sought it leaves stateA judge ruled that Kate Cox was allowed to terminate her non-viable pregnancy, but on Friday night, the Texas Supreme Court put that ruling on hold.
Texas Supreme Court temporarily halts ruling allowing Dallas woman to get an abortion
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court temporarily halts ruling allowing Dallas woman to get an abortionAfter a Travis County district judge cleared the way for Kate Cox, 31, to terminate her pregnancy, Ken Paxton petitioned the state’s highest court to halt the ruling.
Despite temporary restraining order, legal observers believe abortion ruling ‘risky’ for doctor
Read full article: Despite temporary restraining order, legal observers believe abortion ruling ‘risky’ for doctorIn a ruling that appears to be the first in the nation, a Texas judge rules a woman can get an abortion.
Texas woman asks judge to let her terminate pregnancy after lethal fetal diagnosis
Read full article: Texas woman asks judge to let her terminate pregnancy after lethal fetal diagnosisIn an emergency request, the Center for Reproductive Rights is asking a judge to allow Kate Cox to terminate her pregnancy after she received a lethal fetal diagnosis.
Texas Supreme Court considers abortion challenge
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court considers abortion challengeIn August, a judge ruled that the state’s near-total abortion ban should not apply to medically complicated pregnancies. The state appealed that ruling to the Texas Supreme Court, putting it on hold.
Watch Texas Tribune journalists discuss their experience on a rural reproductive health project
Read full article: Watch Texas Tribune journalists discuss their experience on a rural reproductive health projectReporter Eleanor Klibanoff and photojournalist Shelby Tauber talked with Tribune editor Terri Langford about their reporting on a story of a 26-year-old Texan who was told her twin sons had a zero percent chance of survival after childbirth.
Appeals court considers Texas’ challenge to federal abortion guidance
Read full article: Appeals court considers Texas’ challenge to federal abortion guidanceThe federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act requires hospitals to stabilize any patient in the emergency room, even, the Biden administration noted in recent guidance, if that requires performing an abortion. Texas sued over the guidance last year.
Appeals court considers whether Texas teens should be allowed contraception without parental consent under federal program
Read full article: Appeals court considers whether Texas teens should be allowed contraception without parental consent under federal programLast year, Judge Matthew Kacmsaryk closed off one of the only avenues for Texas teens to get confidential contraception. The 5th Circuit will hear arguments on the controversial case Monday.
Why a Texas Panhandle city hit pause on a proposed abortion “travel ban” — for now
Read full article: Why a Texas Panhandle city hit pause on a proposed abortion “travel ban” — for nowAmarillo's city council said it will continue to study the issue. The city is one of just a few in Texas to reject the policy pushed by anti-abortion activists.
Anti-abortion groups sue San Antonio over “reproductive justice fund”
Read full article: Anti-abortion groups sue San Antonio over “reproductive justice fund”The city allocated $500,000 to establish the fund, but has not yet said how that money will be used. The lawsuit asks a judge to block the money from going to groups that pay for out-of-state abortions.
She was told her twin sons wouldn’t survive. Texas law made her give birth anyway.
Read full article: She was told her twin sons wouldn’t survive. Texas law made her give birth anyway.Miranda Michel, 26, couldn’t leave the state for an abortion. But she also couldn’t bear the idea of carrying a nonviable pregnancy to term.
How new regulations impact abortion and birth control access in Texas
Read full article: How new regulations impact abortion and birth control access in TexasMore than a year after the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, Texas continues to be the largest state in the nation to ban nearly all abortions. But some questions and changes to abortion and birth control access have arisen since then.
‘They just tried to scare us’: Anti-abortion centers teach sex ed inside some Texas public schools
Read full article: ‘They just tried to scare us’: Anti-abortion centers teach sex ed inside some Texas public schoolsThe groups work in dozens of school districts across the state, but some public health experts say their curricula can be misleading and biased.
With no opposition in the room, a rural Texas county makes traveling for an abortion on its roads illegal
Read full article: With no opposition in the room, a rural Texas county makes traveling for an abortion on its roads illegalCochran County, which borders New Mexico, joins a small group of other rural Texas counties that have passed these ordinances. Abortion-rights supporters say the new policies are not legal.
A Texas county that borders New Mexico is the latest to consider an abortion travel ban
Read full article: A Texas county that borders New Mexico is the latest to consider an abortion travel banCochran County commissioners meet Thursday to discuss the ban. Abortion-rights supporters say the bans are unenforceable and meant to stoke fear.
A unique Texas legal rule lets the attorney general’s office supersede some judges’ orders
Read full article: A unique Texas legal rule lets the attorney general’s office supersede some judges’ ordersLawyers criticize a provision they say erodes the separation of powers between Texas’ executive branch and its courts. It’s been used repeatedly this year as Texans try to block new state laws from going into effect
Watch a conversation about the fight over abortion access at the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival
Read full article: Watch a conversation about the fight over abortion access at the 2023 Texas Tribune FestivalPanelists talked about the fight that continues after the Dobbs verdict — from coast to coast and border to border.
Even after Planned Parenthood stopped performing abortions, Texas is still trying to shut it down
Read full article: Even after Planned Parenthood stopped performing abortions, Texas is still trying to shut it downPlanned Parenthood has managed to stay open in Texas despite the state’s best efforts to shut it down. But a lawsuit in front of a conservative judge poses an existential threat.
A prison guard says she was forced to stay at her post during labor pains. Texas is fighting compensation for her stillbirth.
Read full article: A prison guard says she was forced to stay at her post during labor pains. Texas is fighting compensation for her stillbirth.The seven-months-pregnant officer reported contraction-like pains at work, but said she wasn’t allowed to leave for hours. The anti-abortion state is fighting her lawsuit, in part by saying her fetus didn’t clearly have rights.
Texas AG appeals judge’s order that allows women with complicated pregnancies to get abortions
Read full article: Texas AG appeals judge’s order that allows women with complicated pregnancies to get abortionsState District Court Judge Jessica Mangrum on Friday issued a temporary exemption to Texas’ abortion ban. Hours later, the attorney general’s office filed an appeal, which blocked the order.
Tearfully testifying against Texas’ abortion ban, three women describe medical care delayed
Read full article: Tearfully testifying against Texas’ abortion ban, three women describe medical care delayedThe women, believed to be the first to testify about an abortion ban’s impact on their pregnancy since 1973, are seeking to clarify when a medical emergency justifies an abortion.