Texas Advances 'Mail-Order Abortion' Ban Bill
Senate Bill 4 by Brownsville Democrat Eddie Lucio, Jr., would prohibit what some lawmakers have referred to as "mail-order" abortions, a practice by which drugs that induce abortion are sent by mail to people seeking to terminate a pregnancy. During the pandemic, a Food and Drug Administration policy change allowed people seeking an abortion to receive the medication via mail without an in-person doctor's office visit. Critics of the policy change, which spurred the legislation, say it creates a safety issue for people using the medication. Although he said he didn't like that an abortion would still take place, Lucio said the legislation would prevent complications that he believed could occur if the medication were administered without the presence of a health care provider. Read more...