abortion access

On Wednesday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott released his official proclamation announcing a special legislative session. Texas lawmakers will be back in Austin starting on July 21. The session, which originally looked like it would focus on regulating THC, now includes several emergency preparedness topics.

There's no competitive bidding process through the state for pregnancy resource centers, faith-based groups and other nonprofits to get public money if they go through an organization like the Oklahoma Life Foundation.

Three related bills prompted substantial discussions in the Texas House and Senate this year. Two passed.

Senate Bill 31 comes after reporting found that confusion surrounding Texas' abortion ban had resulted in the deaths of at least two women. After receiving final approval from the Texas House on Thursday, the bill now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed a lawsuit in 2023 along with attorneys general from Kansas and Idaho aimed at overturning guidelines for greater access to the medication abortion pill. The Trump administration will defend an earlier decision that affirms those guidelines.

Abortion is illegal in Texas, but some women are still accessing abortion through mail-order drugs. Senate Bill 2880 aims to crack down on the practice.

The bill gives the state new tools to try to stop the flow of abortion pills, but critics say it's legally dubious on several fronts.

Texas lawmakers advanced a bill to change the language in the state's abortion laws in an effort to clarify when doctors are allowed to perform an abortion during a medical emergency. The bill, which passed unanimously in the Texas Senate on Tuesday, is the first time Republican lawmakers have sought to amend the state's ban since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022.

Billboard ads luring Texas providers to the north have been placed in Houston and Dallas.

Expanded clinic capacity and an influx of people traveling from other states fueled the increase in abortions, according to researchers.