00:00Texas is on the verge of a major new abortion law, one that shifts enforcement from the state to its citizens.
00:09Lawmakers have passed House Bill 7, allowing private individuals to sue doctors, manufacturers, and distributors of abortion-inducing drugs if they send them into Texas.
00:21Successful lawsuits would carry damages of at least $100,000 per violation.
00:26The bill now heads to Governor Greg Abbott, who is expected to sign it.
00:30The measure is modeled after the Texas Heartbeat Act.
00:32It shields pregnant women from liability and allows exceptions in cases of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, or medical emergencies.
00:41Supporters say it closes loopholes created by telehealth providers in shield laws states, which allow doctors to prescribe and mail abortion pills across state lines.
00:51Senator Brian Hughes, the bill's sponsor, argued Texas must hold providers accountable for sending, quote, poisonous illegal drugs.
00:59Anti-abortion groups have praised the measure as one of the strongest efforts to restrict abortion by mail, but critics say it deputizes neighbors to spy on one another.
01:09Democratic Senator Carol Alvarado warned the law could create a climate of mistrust, where even private conversations are twisted into evidence.
01:18The ACLU of Texas says it extends abortion restrictions far beyond state borders.
01:24If signed, challenges would be funneled to a newly created appeals court in Texas, seen as conservative-leaning.
01:32Opponents warned the law could spark fresh legal battles with states that have passed their own laws to shield their doctors from out-of-state prosecution for mailing abortion pills.
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