By: Stephen Elliott

Amy O’Donnell, communications director for Texas Alliance for Life, said her organization is “definitely against a rape-incest exception in our abortion laws,” though the group supports exceptions for medical emergencies. O’Donnell added, however, that her organization has not withdrawn support from anti-abortion rights lawmakers who support rape and incest exceptions.

In Wisconsin, some GOP leaders also are interested in adding exceptions to the state’s strict abortion ban, a law dating to 1849 that was reactivated by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe. But the situation in Wisconsin is complicated because while Republicans control the legislature, Gov. Tony Evers is a Democrat.

By: Stephen Elliott

Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who leads the state Senate, has signaled he might be willing to take up the exceptions question.

“I am not saying no, but we’d have to see a real groundswell of Republicans in the House and Senate to say yes,” Patrick told Spectrum News’ Capital Tonight in a December interview.

Amy O’Donnell, communications director for Texas Alliance for Life, said her organization is “definitely against a rape-incest exception in our abortion laws,” though the group supports exceptions for medical emergencies. O’Donnell added, however, that her organization has not withdrawn support from anti-abortion rights lawmakers who support rape and incest exceptions.

By: Fernanda Figueroa

During the Texas Rally for Life — which was hosted by Texas Alliance for Life, a nonprofit focused on protecting the “right to life” from conception through death — demonstrators gathered to march through downtown Austin, ending at the Capitol in celebration of the court decision that struck down the 1973 ruling that had protected abortion rights nationwide.

More than 30 buses from across the state brought people to the annual rally, according to the organization.

By: Al Lindsey

Prominent Texas anti-abortion advocates applauded the work of Abbott and other GOP leaders for legislation that banned the procedure. Joe Pojman, executive director of the Texas Alliance for Life, celebrated the near-complete end to abortion in the state, noting the harsh penalties for providers who administer or enable the procedure.

“Let’s continue to make Texas a state in which abortion is entirely unthinkable and where everyone, from conception to natural death, is protected and thrives,” Pojman said.

While Abbott and others lauded the work of the anti-abortion movement other rally participants said they felt there was still work to be done.

“We want abortion to be unthinkable,” said Aidan Garza, of Austin, echoing a refrain splashed on posters and expressed by several attendees of the rally.

Garza said he was marching in the walk to the Capitol that preceded the rally, as a member of his congregation of the St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Church. He said he wants to see a federal law outlawing abortion.

By: WILLIAM MELHADO

Prominent Texas anti-abortion advocates applauded the work of Abbott and other GOP leaders for legislation that banned the procedure. Joe Pojman, executive director of the Texas Alliance for Life, celebrated the near-complete end to abortion in the state, noting the harsh penalties for providers who administer or enable the procedure.

“Let’s continue to make Texas a state in which abortion is entirely unthinkable and where everyone, from conception to natural death, is protected and thrives,” Pojman said.

By: Julianna Russ, Mercedez Hernandez

The 2023 Texas Rally for Life, hosted by Texas Alliance for Life, began at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Texas Capitol. This was the group’s first rally since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision and Senate Bill 8 went into effect in Texas.

Organizers of the rally said the event was meant to bring anti-abortion advocates, faith leaders and elected officials together to march in support of the right to life.

Governor Greg Abbott attended the event and was the keynote speaker. According to a statement, he said he expected thousands of anti-abortion Texans to join the rally.