Texas doctors do not need to perform emergency abortions, court rules
Washington PostJUL 2023
Texas: Court Rules Abortions Not Required Under Emergency Guidance
Image copyright: Wikimedia Commons
The Spin
Republican narrative
When SCOTUS overturned Roe it returned the power to regulate abortions to the states. Federal guidance doesn’t supersede state law in this or any other matter. Texas’ abortion law contains exceptions to protect the life of the mother, but the federal government doesn’t have the right to mandate hospitals to perform specific medical procedures.
Democratic narrative
America should be outraged at how this ruling disregards the safety of women in life-threatening situations related to their pregnancy. This ruling essentially prevents hospitals from acting swiftly during an emergency lest they perform an abortion that doesn’t meet the state’s vague standards necessary for an exception to its abortion ban. This is shameful.
Metaculus Prediction
There’s a 5% chance that elective abortion will be banned nationally in the US before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
