Candidate statements and policy positions

Texas Supreme Court Unanimously Upholds Abortion Law in State v. Zurawski

May 31, 2024, 02:55 PM

The Texas Supreme Court has unanimously rejected a significant challenge to the state's new abortion laws. The court ruled in the case of State v. Zurawski, where the plaintiffs, including more than 20 women, 22 patients, and physicians, argued that the state's Human Life Protection Act (HLPA) was unconstitutional because it did not adequately protect women with life-threatening physical conditions. The court found that the medical exceptions in the law were broad enough to withstand constitutional scrutiny and upheld the HLPA. This decision means that doctors in Texas will continue to face potential prosecution for performing abortions they believe are medically necessary in complicated pregnancies. The ruling overturns a lower court's decision and emphasizes the state's stance on protecting unborn children while maintaining the medical necessity exception for women's health. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton praised the ruling, reaffirming his commitment to defending the state's pro-life laws.