Houston Chronicle by Jeremy Blackman March 25, 2020
A coalition of abortion rights advocates announced Wednesday it is suing Texas over its temporary ban on abortions during the coronavirus pandemic.
The lawsuit comes as state officials force abortion providers to stop nearly all abortions through much of April, saying the move will free up needed hospital space and medical supplies. Abortion advocates have called the move a political ploy.
“It is shameful that our politicians use emergency actions during a global pandemic to push through their anti-abortion agenda,†said Amy Hagstrom Miller, who heads Whole Woman’s Health, one of the plaintiffs in the case, in a call with reporters. “We cannot sit idly by while the state is forcing Texans to be pregnant against their will.â€
The new fight began over the weekend, when Republican Gov. Greg Abbott issued an order postponing non-essential surgeries across the state. On Monday, Attorney General Ken Paxton clarified that the order applied to all abortions except those in which a woman’s life is endangered.
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