State of Texas: ‘School choice’ plan poised to pass after runoff wins for Abbott-backed candidates | KXAN-TV

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By: Ryan Chandler, Josh Hinkle, Kelly Wiley, Matt Grant, John Thomas

The Texas Alliance for Life, after submitting a brief to the court in support of the abortion ban, praised the ruling Friday.

“The Texas Supreme Court justices understand that their role is to look at the law and interpret it – not make the law,” Alliance for Life’s Amy O’Donnell said.

O’Donnell also said the doctors who believed they could not provide medical abortions misinterpreted the law and put their patients at risk, pointing to 81 cases in which doctors performed medical abortions through Dec. 2023 without consequences.

“Clearly, we see doctors in Texas know that they can intervene, while at the same time we hear cases where some doctors are confused about the clarity and the language of her law,” O’Donnell said. “For that reason, we are in support of the Texas Medical Board providing guidelines for doctors.”

Abortions up to 6 weeks can temporarily resume in Texas, district judge rules | KXAN News

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By: Monica Madden

Hours after the judge issued the temporary restraining order, Paxton announced he is “immediately appealing” the decision, in a post on Twitter.

“Today a Harris County judge froze pre-Roe laws criminalizing abortion in TX. But w/ SCOTUS’s Dobbs decision, these laws are 100% in effect & constitutional. The judge’s decision is wrong. I’m immediately appealing. I’ll ensure we have all the legal tools to keep TX pro-life!” Paxton tweeted.

Joe Pojman, the executive director of the Texas Alliance for Life, echoed the attorney general’s sentiments and said he was not concerned about the legal action from providers hoping to block the pre-Roe law from being enforced.

“We think that is just a bump in the road and not a dead end for the pre-Roe laws. I think they will go back into effect in a matter of weeks and unborn babies will be protected,” Pojman said.

He noted that regardless of what happens with this case, the trigger law will still eventually kick in, banning the majority of abortions in Texas, 30 days after the Supreme Court issues a judgment for the Dobbs v. Jackson case.

The next hearing on this case is set for July 12, when the court will consider more permanent action.

Texas’ Alternatives to Abortion program impact | KXAN News

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By: Jennifer Sanders

In the 2021 fiscal year, the following contracted providers were awarded money to administer the program:

Texas Pregnancy Care Network – $36,587,141.78
Human Coalition – $8,765,185.34
Austin LifeCare – $750,000
Longview Wellness Center – $54,000

“That was a 25% increase from the 86th Legislative session to the 87th Legislative session,” said Amy O’Donnell, director of communications for Texas Alliance for Life.

KXAN asked the Texas Alliance for Life, a statewide nonprofit organization, if funding for the organization would meet a possible increase in demand some providers said they are seeing. Even as the need grows, O’Donnell thinks the funding allocated over the next two years will help over 200 pregnancy care centers in the state.

“Those centers see 150,000 women a year. So that compares well, to the roughly 55,000 abortions that we’ve seen take place in Texas per year. They are well able to meet the needs through the centers,” O’Donnell said.

Supreme Court’s opinion impacts Texas abortion providers | KXAN

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By: Jennifer Sanders

Katherine Long says the protest was personal for her. She had an abortion at age 22 and wants other women to be able to make that same decision if they want.

“Who wants an unwanted pregnancy?” Long said. “No child wants to be born unwanted.”

Texas Alliance for Life has a differing opinion. In a statement, the organization said “We are ecstatic. The Supreme Court finally remedied a terrible decision made nearly half a century ago that profoundly damaged society in America.

Legal abortions have claimed the lives of more than 62 million unborn children and have hurt countless women. That will no longer be the case in Texas. Roe’s unsound and ultimately indefensible reasoning cost the trust of millions of Americans in the Supreme Court. This decision begins to restore confidence in the Supreme Court and its application of constitutional principles.”

How’s it going for Texas’ Alternatives to Abortion program? | KXAN News

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By: Daniel Marin

In the last budget cycle, the Texas State legislature approved $100 million for the Alternatives to Abortion program for the next two years, a $20 million increase.

“We look at that as a win for Texas,” said Amy O’Donnell with the Texas Alliance for Life.

O’Donnell said the Alternatives to Abortion covers counseling for mothers, parenting classes, job training, and even clothing and formula. It also connects those who are expecting with resources like WIC and Medicaid.

“That helps to eliminate the burden of cost around the birth, itself,” O’Donnell said.

If Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, Texas will completely ban abortion \ KXAN News

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By: Eleanor Klibanoff, Karen Brooks Harper

Abortion opponents in Texas are cautiously optimistic about the release of this draft ruling. Joe Pojman, executive director of the Texas Alliance for Life, said it’s “encouraging,” but he’s still holding his breath.

“We’ve been burnt before,” said Pojman, “I’m waiting to see the final opinion.”

In 1992, then-Justice Anthony Kennedy, a conservative, had indicated that he was going to vote with the majority of the court to overturn Roe in Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Then he changed his mind, and the court voted to uphold the ruling.

“Assuming the draft is legitimate, I’m reminding myself that this is far from the court’s final opinion,” Pojman said. “So it’s encouraging, but it is not definitive in my mind at all.”