Thu Sep 9, 2021 – 3:57 pm EDT
WASHINGTON, D.C. (LifeSiteNews) – The Biden administration launched a federal lawsuit Thursday against Texas over the state’s recently-enacted law that has effectively halted abortions past six weeks in the state, claiming it violates both federal law and longstanding judicial precedent.
On September 1, the Texas Heartbeat Act took effect in the Lone Star State. Signed in May by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, the law requires abortionists to screen for a preborn baby’s heartbeat and prohibits abortion if a heartbeat can be heard (generally as early as six weeks), with exceptions only for medical emergencies.
Instead of having the state prosecute violators, the law “exclusively” empowers private citizens to bring civil suits against abortionists, punishable by a minimum of $10,000 in statutory relief per abortion plus whatever additional injunctive relief is deemed “sufficient to prevent the defendant from violating this chapter or engaging in acts that aid or abet violations of this chapter.”
This unique enforcement mechanism has been credited for the U.S. Supreme Court’s surprising decision not to block the law from taking effect, as well as the decisions of abortion chains Planned Parenthood and Whole Woman’s Health
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