Tag Archives: abortion

House chubfest kills several bad bills

Posted on May 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Some good news, though as always at the end of a session, the outcome isn’t clean and the details are very murky. As the clock struck midnight, the failure of an anti-abortion initiative — dear to the hearts of the … Continue reading →

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There’s still time for bad bills to be passed

Posted on May 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Bad bill #1: After four hours of debate and more than a dozen failed amendments offered by Democrats, the Senate on Monday gave preliminary approval to far-reaching restrictions on minors seeking abortions in Texas without parental consent. On a 21-10 … Continue reading →

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House passes stricter judicial bypass bill

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Unfortunate but expected. After about four hours of debate and a barrage of failed amendments by Democrats, the House passed House Bill 3994 by Republican state Rep. Geanie Morrison of Victoria on a 98-47 vote. The measure would enact several … Continue reading →

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Judicial bypass is already a huge obstacle

Posted on April 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Jane’s Due Process highlights just how hard it is for a pregnant teenager to get a judicial bypass for the purpose of obtaining an abortion under existing law. The Survey. Jane’s Due Process (JDP) is a 501(c)(3) organization that formed … Continue reading →

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More on judicial bypass

Posted on April 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Nonsequiteuse provides an update, and it’s not looking good. Rep. King’s HB723, which was left pending in the Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee last week, was weak sauce compared to Rep. Morrison’s HB3994, on the State Affairs Committee agenda for … Continue reading →

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Call to action: Bypass laws

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

What Nonsequiteuse says: Teenagers have sex, which means some have unintended pregnancies, which means some have abortions. Is your preference that parents be involved when a minor wants to have an abortion to end an unwanted pregnancy? You might be … Continue reading →

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Let the budgetary games begin

Posted on March 31, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The House takes up the budget today, with over 300 amendments and riders queued up for votes. A couple of things to watch for as the debate goes on: Killing vouchers. Lawmakers in the Texas House will have a chance … Continue reading →

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State-run Women’s Health Program continues to be a failure

Posted on March 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Quelle surprise. Thousands fewer women are getting health services through the now state-run Women’s Health Program after Planned Parenthood was barred from being a provider. A report released Monday by the state Health and Human Services Commission showed that almost … Continue reading →

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Bill filing deadline has passed

Posted on March 15, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Believe it or not, we are almost halfway through the legislative session, and we have now passed the point where new bills can be filed. Racing to beat a deadline for filing bills, state lawmakers on Friday submitted hundreds of … Continue reading →

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Don’t stop fighting for choice

Posted on February 17, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the message I take from this. They’re pushing a boulder up a hill in the conservative Texas Legislature. But three House Democrats remain laser-focused on repealing the 24-hour waiting period for abortion imposed by the state’s 2011 sonogram law. … Continue reading →

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RIP, two-thirds rule

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Not a surprise. With a new lieutenant governor installed for the first time in over a decade Wednesday — and over the cries of Democrats — the Texas Senate voted to break from an almost 70-year tradition intended to encourage … Continue reading →

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The Fifth Circuit hears the HB2 arguments

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe it’s not a slam dunk for HB2, though I refuse to get my hopes up. In a long line of tough questioning Wednesday over a new Texas abortion law, federal appeals judges here questioned whether part of a provision … Continue reading →

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Meet the judges

Posted on December 31, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Not a bad panel, all things considered. Judges Patrick Higginbotham of Dallas, Jerry Smith of Houston and James Graves Jr. of Jackson, Miss., will sit on a panel that will hear appeals from state officials in Texas and Mississippi of … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit sets their schedule

Posted on November 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Mark your calendars. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments about the constitutionality of Texas’ tough new abortion restrictions on Jan. 7. The law passed in 2013, known as House Bill 2, banned abortions after 20 weeks … Continue reading →

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More on the initial bill filings

Posted on November 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the Trib, a sampling: As of Monday afternoon, a bill repealing the Texas Dream Act, which allows undocumented immigrant students to pay in-state college tuition rates, had yet to emerge. Lt. Gov.-elect Dan Patrick promised while campaigning that he would work … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit to hear HB2 appeal in January

Posted on November 9, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Gird your loins. A federal appeals court has scheduled oral arguments about the constitutionality of Texas’ tough new abortion law for the first week of January, setting up a rapid timeline that may accelerate the case’s expected trip to the … Continue reading →

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There’s an app for birth control

Posted on October 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure this won’t controversial at all. “Isn’t there an app for that?” Turns out there is, if what you’re after is birth control or a test for a sexually transmitted infection. In the latest example of fast-growing “telemedicine,” video … Continue reading →

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#GiveToWendy

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

A year ago at about this time, a group of progressive blogs joined forces to raise money for the Wendy Davis campaign, which at that point was only a month old and all of the usual “early money” maxims applied. … Continue reading →

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The courts giveth, and the courts taketh away

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

As expected, the Fifth Circuit lifts the stay on the district court’s voter ID ruling, paving the way (for now) for it to be enforced in November. Texas should require photo voter identification in this year’s general election, the 5th … Continue reading →

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HB2 plaintiffs ask SCOTUS for review

Posted on October 9, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Be careful what you ask for. After a federal appeals court ruled that the state could temporarily enforce new requirements for abortion facilities, Texas abortion providers are looking to the U.S. Supreme Court. On Monday, attorneys for the abortion providers … Continue reading →

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HB2 is about overturning Roe v Wade

Posted on October 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

A cheery thought from Think Progress. Nevertheless, the single most ominous paragraph of the opinion, at least for people who care about reproductive freedom, is this one: Plaintiffs argue that the district court’s balancing approach is used by other circuits. … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit lifts injunction on HB2 enforcement

Posted on October 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This court is the worst. As it hears arguments in an appeal of a federal judge’s decision overturning new requirements for Texas abortion facilities, a three-judge panel of the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that the state … Continue reading →

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Abbott and the Latino vote

Posted on September 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I have four things to say about this. When Lily Benitez pulled into her driveway in the Donesta neighborhood here Saturday morning, she was surprised to see Greg Abbott coming toward her. It wasn’t just because he’s the attorney general … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit hears HB2 arguments

Posted on September 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

As always with anything that involves the Fifth Circuit, pessimism is called for. Federal appeals court judges who got their first look at the latest challenge to Texas’ tough new abortion law Friday appeared to show support for the law … Continue reading →

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Davis’ abortion disclosure

Posted on September 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I agree with PDiddie that this is the big story of the weekend, and likely most of the upcoming week, too. State Sen. Wendy Davis, the Democratic candidate for governor, reveals in her new book that she terminated two pregnancies … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit will hear HB2 enforcement arguments next Friday

Posted on September 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The temporary reprieve will last at least one more week. Texas abortion providers’ next hurdle in their legal fight against strict abortion regulations is set for next week in a hearing scheduled for federal court. State attorneys and lawyers representing … Continue reading →

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Abbott appeals HB2 ruling

Posted on September 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. As expected, Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott filed an appeal to the 5th Circuit Court Sunday to overturn a recent federal court ruling that found parts of Texas’ abortion law, House Bill 2, unconstitutional. Abortion providers filed suit … Continue reading →

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Ambulatory surgical center requirements of HB2 struck down

Posted on August 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

A last minute reprieve, though who knows for how long. A federal judge on Friday struck down new requirements for Texas abortion facilities — a decision that could have shuttered all but a few abortion clinics in the state. The … Continue reading →

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Latest HB2 trial wraps up

Posted on August 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

And so we await a ruling, followed by whatever the Fifth Circuit will pull out of its posterior. Stefanie Toti, representing the Center for Reproductive Rights, said the requirements imposed by the ambulatory surgical center rules single out abortion providers, … Continue reading →

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Intimidation tactics

Posted on August 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Very creepy. Anti-abortion activists in Texas employ strategies to identify and monitor abortion patients, investigate abortion providers and clinic staff and search tax records to find locations of abortion providers, according to newly released undercover audio. The audio, from NARAL … Continue reading →

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The state’s puppet witnesses in the HB2 lawsuit

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Austin Chronicle tells the story. Among the state defense witnesses who took the stand on the third day of trial against Texas’ abortion-restricting House Bill 2 were two women with overt objections to abortion and one physician whose testimony … Continue reading →

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Next lawsuit against HB2 is underway

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see if the result this time is any better. Texas abortion providers’ next attempt to block strict abortion regulations that the Republican-led Legislature passed last year begins Monday in Austin, where a federal court is considering whether to block … Continue reading →

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Planned Parenthood comes out swinging

Posted on July 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Good to see. Planned Parenthood’s political arm is embarking on the most aggressive campaign it has ever waged in Texas, with plans to spend $3 million to turn out voters for Democratic candidates including Sens. Wendy Davis for governor and … Continue reading →

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The Mexican abortion option, one year later

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Exactly as predicted. The Alamo flea market sits right off South Texas’s lengthy Highway 83; a sprawling, dusty, labyrinth of a place. Under canopies in the converted parking lot, vendors in dark sunglasses stand behind tables heaped with piles of … Continue reading →

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