AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Gov. Abbott on Tuesday signed HB 1280, which would ban abortions in the state of Texas if the Supreme Court overturns the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.
This “trigger” law would take effect 30 days after the overturn of Roe v. Wade or if a court ruling or amendment allowed for states to individually prohibit abortions.
At least 10 other states have also passed similar “trigger” laws.
The Texas ban would mean anyone who performs an abortion would face time in prison or a $100,000 fine. There are no exceptions for women who are pregnant as a result of rape or incest, or are at risk of self-harm or suicide. Women who face death or have a life-threatening physical condition due to pregnancy are excluded from the ban.
This comes after Gov. Abbott signed the Texas Heartbeat Act, which states that abortions are not allowed once a fetal heartbeat is detected.
Roe v. Wade protects a woman’s right to have an abortion with minimal government restriction. The U.S. Supreme Court currently has a strong conservative majority, leading to some speculation that Roe v. Wade could be overturned if an appropriate case were to challenge it.