Months of a doomed pregnancy: What can happen in a state with strict abortion laws | NPR

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By: Selena Simmons-Duffin

SIMMONS-DUFFIN: I also spoke to Amy O’Donnell. She’s with the Texas Alliance for Life, and she told me she does not support adding more exceptions to Texas’ abortion laws.

AMY O’DONNELL: I do believe the Texas laws are working as designed. I also believe that we have a responsibility to educate Texas women and families on the resources that we have available to them.

SIMMONS-DUFFIN: She says there are private organizations that can help with funerals, and her group would support public funds being used for that, too. Samantha and her family are getting some extra support. Since NPR published her story yesterday, many people were moved to donate to her funeral fundraising page, and they’ve now donated $30,000 and counting.

Texas abortion ‘abolitionists’ want to punish women for abortions | CNHI NEWS

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By: Ali Linan

Joe Pojman, executive director of Texas Alliance for Life, one of the largest pro-life organizations in the state, said the organization “strongly supports” where Texas currently stands in its abortion laws. He added that recent statistics from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission Induced Termination of Pregnancy report found that abortions in the state have plummeted from thousands per month to zero elective abortions and a handful of abortions to protect the life of the mother.

“At no time in our work toward protecting life have we supported legislation in favor of prosecuting mothers,” Pojman said. “Women facing unplanned pregnancies need compassionate support and alternatives to abortion, not criminal prosecution.”

“It’s important now that we focus on maintaining our pro-life gains, expanding funding for the state’s alternatives-to-abortion program, and holding rogue DAs accountable who say they will not enforce Texas pro-life laws,” he added.

Marijuana and abortion will be on the ballot in San Antonio, Texas Supreme Court rules | SAN ANTONIO CURRENT

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By: Michael Karlis

Although the petition filed by Texas Alliance for Life garnered support from state GOP members, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the state’s highest court ultimately ruled that it doesn’t have the power to “stymie” an election. Further litigation would only be appropriate if the measure passes, the justices added.

“The power of initiative is reserved to the people, not granted to them,” Justice Jane N. Bland wrote in her opinion. “Courts must not lightly usurp that power. Our role is to facilitate elections, not to stymie them, and to review the consequences of those elections as the Legislature prescribes.”

Texas Supreme Court rejects anti-abortion group’s Justice Charter challenge | San Antonio Express News

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By: Molly Smith

“This precedent invites municipalities to disregard well-established election laws regarding charter amendments, protections for unborn babies, and numerous other issues, an unintended but foreseeable consequence,” Texas Alliance for Life spokesperson Amy O’Donnell said in a written statement.

If approved, the Justice Charter, which will appear on the ballot as Proposition A, would amend the city charter to bar police from investigating or making arrests for abortion-related crimes and misdemeanor marijuana possession. It would also expand the city’s cite-and-release program, ban police from using chokeholds and no-knock warrants, and create a city justice director to oversee these policy changes.

City Attorney Andy Segovia, however, maintains that San Antonio could only enforce the justice director provision, calling the others “inconsistent” with state law.

San Antonio abortion vote avoids legal challenge — for now | AXIOS SAN ANTONIO

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By: Megan Stringer

What they’re saying: The Texas Supreme Court’s decision adhered “to our longstanding commitment to avoid undue interference with elections,” Justice Jane Bland wrote.

“Our team spent countless hours on research, we know we are well within our legal right,” organizers behind Proposition A wrote on Twitter after the ruling.
The other side: “We are tremendously disappointed in the Texas Supreme Court’s decision … despite obvious violations of state law,” said Amy O’Donnell, the communications director for Texas Alliance for Life, which sought the legal challenge, in a statement.