SB 8, The Most Restrictive Abortion Bill

I’ve spent to morning watching Texans react to the news of SB 8, the most restrictive abortion bill in the country, going into effect today. It’s heartbreaking.

This bill will ban abortions as early as 6 weeks and put a $10,000 BOUNTY on anyone that helps someone obtain an abortion in Texas. It undermines the full citizenship of women in Texas and creates an environment that is downright dangerous.

This abortion ban restricts access to 85% of all Texas women who seek safe abortions. Women and reproductive rights allies are terrified, infuriated and discouraged. But I see you. And, I won’t give up on you. Because this is not a moral discussion, this is about access to healthcare.

The fact is the Texas legislature and the governor can’t provide less protections for women than the federal government does. Its why numerous abortion groups have filed lawsuits to stop this abortion ban.

This is personal for me and I welcome the opportunity to come on your show to discuss.

During my wife and I’s first pregnancy, about 5 months in, her womb opened. We had two stillborn premature babies. We named them Malcolm and Nicole. The reason it happened was because my wife had a condition called an incompetence cervix.

This law will be especially harsh on black and brown women who already struggle to gain equal access to basic healthcare, not to mention the disparities they expedience with child birth and mortality.

If we didn’t have access to reproductive care that helped close her womb and make it possible to carry pregnancies to term, every attempt could have been even more deadly.

We were young and needed options from private discussions with our doctors — not our lawmakers.

I would like to join you to discuss the constitutionality of Texas abortion ban and the legal options for women impacted by this law. I possess a specific advanced knowledge of the role of attorney general in enforcing this law and protecting the women of Texas. I also work with Black Moms Matter, an organization focusing on black women and mortality in childbirth.

— Lee Merritt