WHAT IS THE HEARTBEAT BILL IN A NUTSHELL?
Effective this week, Texas law now protects unborn babies with a detectable heartbeat from an abortion! This is a tremendous victory for future generations, and women who are spared from the painful aftermath of abortion. This law is unique in that it puts the civil lawsuits in the hands of private citizens to file suit against those who “aid and abet” an abortion (that would include performing or funding an abortion.)
We give thanks to the lawmakers that use their leadership to honor the sanctity of human life!
Read the full text of the Bill here.
Update: As of September 4, a district judge has issued a temporary restraining order against Texas Right to Life, blocking the group from suing abortion providers employed by Planned Parenthood. We’ll relay the impact of that order as we learn more.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR HOPE AND OTHER PREGNANCY CENTERS IN TEXAS?
This is an unprecedented law. We do not know how the abortion industry in Texas will respond. For now, we know three things:
1. While we thank God that the window to receive an abortion in Texas is very narrow now, abortion is still legal in Texas. The current law also faces future risk of being blocked in lower courts.
Digital pregnancy tests can detect a pregnancy at 1-2 weeks, and the concern is that many women will be in a state of panic and take abortion pills. Uninformed Texans are left to trust that Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers are in keeping with the laws of not providing the abortion pill after 5-6 weeks of gestation, or when the pre-born baby’s heart is detected.
The abortion pill is not the quick, easy fix as some would have women to believe, but many trust abortion providers to be truthful and have their best interest in mind. Women need to be informed of the physical and emotional damage that can be caused by the abortion.
Abortion pill websites such as this one are already giving detailed instructions on how to skirt around Texas law for a mail-order chemical abortion. Mail-order abortions at any stage are illegal in many states, including Texas. There are also websites dedicated to Judicial Bypass to override parental consent for an abortion.
Moreover, Planned Parenthood, Whole Woman’s Health, and other abortion advocates plan to route women via abortionfinder.com to neighboring states— for our area— just over a four-hour drive to Shreveport, Louisiana.
We are committed to pooling our helpful and supportive resources to intervene online, or in-person on the physical, emotional, and spiritual effects of the abortion pill. We will also look for ways to promote the groundbreaking abortion pill reversal which can be taken before the second pill and has met great success in saving unborn babies from the fate of a chemical abortion.
2. Women need us now more than ever. Now is a critical time to respond to the growing needs of new moms and dads to develop a love for their unborn child, and show the love of Christ to all who come through our doors in word and deed. We are ramping up to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of more clients. Our mission has not changed. We are committed to caring for women and their babies. We are committed to being a compassionate support and encouragement to our clients. HOPE will continue to be a haven for support for those facing unplanned pregnancy, and we will continue to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that families may be restored!
We praise God for this new protection of babies in Texas! We are so grateful to work alongside you to serve them! Please pray for us that we will be better enabled to meet the needs of fearful, anxious women during these uncertain and everchanging days!
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