Continuing our efforts to highlight the devastating and dangerous bans going into effect across the country, today’s MAGA Hot Mic moment features Texas, where physicians who provide health care services for women could now face large fines and life in prison as a result of a trigger law going into effect today.

The legislation going into effect today takes abortion bans to a new extreme by allowing even harsher punishments for abortion providers. 

Dallas Morning News: “The ban, similar to the pre-Roe ban, makes performing an abortion a felony. This includes surgical abortion procedures and medical abortion pills administered anytime after conception. A big difference between the trigger law and other laws on abortion is increasing the criminal penalties for anyone providing an abortion.”

KDFW4: “The law, passed by the state legislature in 2021, enhances penalties making all abortions performed in the state a felony, except in cases where the mother’s life is in danger. Any doctor who performs an abortion in Texas could face life in prison and grants the Attorney General the authority to file civil lawsuits with fines up to $100,000.”

Texas already has legislation in place that bans abortions with no exceptions for rape or incest. 

Texas Tribune: “Under current Texas law, abortion is prohibited even in cases of rape or incest. But polling shows Texans overwhelmingly support exceptions for rape and incest — only 13% and 11%, respectively, said pregnant people should not be able to obtain abortions in those cases.”

NPR: “Abortion has already been outlawed in Texas because of a law from before Roe v. Wade that is now being enforced. The current ban makes no exceptions for rape or incest.”

The health of women in Texas were at risk before a trigger law imposing more restrictions even came into play. 

Texas Tribune: “State abortion laws are complicating other types of obstetric care”

PBS: “Texas woman describes ordeal with state abortion law after miscarriage”

Let’s be clear – Americans should not live in fear about being able to make decisions surrounding their own reproductive health. Abortion extremism is the GOP party line, and Texas Republicans set the model for GOP lawmakers in other states to follow. Americans know better than to support this dangerous, anti-choice agenda.