"We refuse to comply with cruelty disguised as law,” says Debra Lynch, founder of Her Safe Harbor, a Delaware-based abortion telehealth provider. "HB 7 is an intimidation tactic, not a reflection of the reality of people’s needs."

At least two out-of-state abortion pill providers @themap-crhc.bsky.social and @hersafeharbor.bsky.social tell me they are undeterred in the face of a new Texas law that allows citizens to sue them and others. "We refuse to comply with cruelty disguised as law." www.thenation.com/article/soci...

For @thenation.com: While Texas officials wage a battle against New York's abortion shield law and welcome a law to block abortion medication access, out-of-state providers that send pills to Texans like @hersafeharbor.bsky.social tell me they will not back down: www.thenation.com/article/soci...

This new study from @nber.org analyzed the imapct of 2013 Texas abortion laws, finding bans cause “significant economic hardship” and widen income inequality, translating into higher rates of “financially motivated crime, such as theft and burglary.” www.nber.org/papers/w34245

NEWS from this morning: Letitia James, New York's attorney general, is intervening in a Texas attempt to penalize a New York doctor accused of mailing abortion pills across state lines—escalating one of the most consequential fights in the US abortion wars. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

BREAKING: The Texas man accused in a Jonathan Mitchell-penned lawsuit of putting abortion pills in his partner's drink without her knowledge—causing her to have a miscarriage—says her story isn't true. He's countersuing for $100 million.

While Texas already bans abortion, with HB 7 Republicans aim to halt the flow of abortion medication from out of state, one of the only remaining avenues for Texans to still access care. The bill now moves to the Gov's desk. My latest for @texasobserver.org: www.texasobserver.org/texas-legisl...

New from Special Correspondent @marytuma.bsky.social: House Bill 7 attacks one of the last remaining options for reproductive care in Texas and declares legal war on blue states.

🚨BREAKING (this is a big deal y'all): The Texas Senate has given final approval to HB 7, a bill that empowers citizens to sue anyone who, “manufactures, distributes, mails, transports, delivers, prescribes, or provides” abortion pills to Texans for at least $100K, it now moves to Gov. Abbott's desk.

Now: The Texas House has given approval to HB 7, a bill that seeks to empower citizens to sue those who mail or prescribe abortion pills to Texans, following passionate opposition from Democrats, who testified that the measure will lead to more deaths. HB 7 still needs a vote from the Senate.

A new version of a TX bill that allows private citizens to sue drug manufacturers for mailing abortion pills and reap $100K allows those not related to the person in question to get $10K + donate the rest to charity –– anti-abortion group Texas Right to Life suggest they should be the recipient:

JUST IN: Attorney General Ken Paxton demands an "immediate halt" to mailing of abortion pills to Texans via cease and desist letters, citing a violation of the Comstock Act and abortion bans, targeting Plan C, Her Safe Harbor, and affiliate of Aid Access: www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/defaul...

My latest for @texasobserver.org: After a surge of post-SB 8 + Dobbs "rage donations," Texas abortion funds – grassroots groups on the frontlines of connecting Texans with out-of-state care – now see dwindling contributions while facing rising costs and demand: www.texasobserver.org/abortion-fun...

Just in: A South Texas woman who was unlawfully arrested and charged w/ murder for having a medication abortion in 2022 faced "gross abuse of power" from Starr County officials who have also sought to evade accountability, a new filing from @aclutx.bsky.social claims: www.aclu.org/cases/gonzal...

Bold of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to criticize + sue to enforce arrest warrants of Texas Democrats who "fled" and who have "run away" to protect voting rights when Paxton quite literally fled and "RAN" away to avoid being served a subpoena (Is "bold" the word I'm looking for? Probably not.)

Now: A Texas Senate Committee just passed anti-abortion bill SB 6 and it will move to the full Senate, where it will surely pass. However, the Democrat gerrymandering exodus prevents a quorum in the House so bills like this will be slowed down (or potentially defeated) for now if the walkout holds.

NEW: A Texas woman filed a wrongful death suit in federal court today alleging a man gave her abortion pills without her consent. The suit also names Aid Access and its founder Rebecca Gomperts. The woman is represented by SB 8 architect Jonathan Mitchell. Me at @autonomynews.co:

Today: A Texas Senate committee is expected to hear a revival of an anti-abortion bill (that failed during the regular session) which would empower private citizens to sue health providers and manufacturers who mail or prescribe abortion pills to Texans. SB 6: capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/H...

And the walkout has slowed down anti-abortion bills — including a measure that would let private citizens sue health providers and manufacturers for mailing + prescribing abortion medication to Texans

Mistress of aggressively anti-abortion conservative Rep. Giovanni Capriglione alleges that he paid for multiple abortions during their affair, via right-wing outlet, Current Revolt. Capriglione authored the state's abortion trigger ban, which criminalizes care w/ up to life in prison for providers.

Jonathan Mitchell strikes again. A Texas man has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a California abortion provider for allegedly mailing abortion medication to his girlfriend. Like the Silva case, Mitchell is arguing a violation of the Comstock Act. www.courthousenews.com/texas-man-su...

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has listed "Protecting Unborn Children" –aka further banning abortion access in a state that already criminally bans abortion care – as the sixth highest priority for the state's special legislative session, above water conservation and protecting survivors of human trafficking

We’re proud to welcome to the Observer masthead @candicebernd.bsky.social and @marytuma.bsky.social as special investigative correspondents, joining @stevanzetti.bsky.social as freelance reporters helping us tackle the environment, reproductive rights, & extremism: www.texasobserver.org/home/staff/

TX Republicans have filed a slew of bills further restricting abortion rights this special session, including the revival of a measure to block the flow of abortion pills: capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/H... + a bill that could criminalize anyone who pay for care: capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/891/...

Privacy is an interesting request from an Attorney General who is actively fighting against HIPAA privacy rules in order to access the confidential medical records of Texas abortion patients 🤔 (www.thenation.com/article/soci...)

I’m pretty curious about “recent discoveries” means — in light of the fact that she stood beside him through the criminal indictment/affair/impeachment trial and related media circuses

What ”recent discoveries” could possibly be worse than what she – and we – already know? www.texastribune.org/2025/07/10/a...

There's a reason I was skeptical a month ago... Indeed, Gov. Abbott has included further restricting abortion rights on the agenda for the legislative special session, which begins July 21. Anti-abortion activists hope the Lege will revive and pass a bill meant to halt the flow of abortion pills.

My recap of Texas reproductive rights bills this legislative session for @texasobserver.org: While the most aggressive anti-abortion bill died, abortion advocates aren’t celebrating “We don’t necessarily feel victorious, we just feel relief for now.” www.texasobserver.org/legislature-...

This will be essential reading from two of the best repro rights journalists in the country! Excited for @susanrinkunas.com + @garnethenderson.com and can’t wait to read their incredible reporting! 👏🏼

"We were trying to find her to get her to a hospital" claims Texas cop who used a nationwide license plate database to track down a person who had allegedly self-managed an abortion. I don't even know where to start

When you have HB 2 flashbacks from 2013: While sweeping anti-abortion bill #SB2880 has not been placed on the House calendar for tomorrow and may not be heard, I won't believe it's officially dead until the session is fully over. That means special session(s) too, y'all.

A Texas House committee is hearing a sweeping anti-abortion bill that, among other extreme provisions, would: ->allow citizens to sue websites that sell – or even provide information about – abortion pills ->make it a felony to pay for a Texan's abortion Livestream: house.texas.gov/videos/21915

Sharing in opposition from many Texas reproductive rights advocates right now, abortion care expert and complex family planning specialist @dr-moayedi.bsky.social explains why she's against SB 31/HB 44 @thenation.com: "I can confidently say that this bill will not help me save additional lives."

Update: Echoing concerns one abortion fund leader told me earlier this week, six Texas funds including Lilith, TEA, Frontera, and Fund Texas Choice just announced they “stand united” in opposition to clarifying exceptions bill SB 31 calling it a “fake fix” that could put more Texans “in danger” b/c:

A TX Senate Cmte. also taking up GOP-backed SB 31, meant to clarify medical exceptions in abortion law. Repro rights advocates worry it is a "Trojan Horse" that could be used to prosecute abortion supporters. Watch: senate.texas.gov/videoplayer.... Read more on SB 31 in @texasobserver.org below ⬇️

A Texas Senate Committee is taking up SB 2880, a GOP bill that would stop the flow of out of state medication abortion, by allowing Texans to file civil suit against groups that mail abortion-inducing drugs, among many other extreme provisions. Watch live here: senate.texas.gov/videoplayer....

Too late for many pregnant Texans, Republican lawmakers might finally clarify exceptions to the state’s deadly abortion bans after years of desperate calls to do so—but reproductive rights advocates fear the current bills could also pose a new threat. My latest for @texasobserver.org:

Local reproductive rights advocates say Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s arrest of Houston midwife Maria Rojas is an attack on not just abortion care but on immigrant communities. Paxton “has targeted someone who is showing up for the Spanish-speaking community.” My latest for @thenation.com:

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced the arrest of a Houston-area midwife for allegedly performing illegal abortions and operating a network of clinics. This is the first criminal case to be brought under the state’s abortion ban.

NEW: Pregnancy became far more dangerous in Texas after the state banned abortion, according to ProPublica’s first-of-its-kind analysis, which found the sepsis rate for women hospitalized as they miscarried in the 2nd trimester shot up by more than 50%. https://propub.li/43487Tj

“Abortion was needed well before Trump was alive and will be needed well after he leaves office.” Don’t miss @marytuma.bsky.social’s excellent profile of Whole Women’s Health Founder and abortion provider Amy Hagstrom Miller for @motherjones.com ⤵️ www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

This is the same doctor being sued by Texas AG Ken Paxton. New York doctor indicted for prescribing abortion pill in Louisiana www.wftv.com/news/health/...

Some takeaways for the repro rights movement from my conversations w/ @amyhm.bsky.social for @motherjones.com: -> Listen to abortion providers in the South, they've lived it! -> National repro groups need to better invest in local orgs in banned states -> "Do not comply in advance" under Trump

NEW Texas anti-abortion bill filed: HB 2197 would make abortion equal to criminal homicide and could outlaw birth control. It's meant to "protect the lives of preborn children with the same criminal and civil laws protecting the lives of human beings born alive" capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/...

For @motherjones.com, I talked to longtime independent abortion provider @amyhm.bsky.social about how she's planning to pushback during the Trump era, including *expanding* services amid the anti-abortion administration. "Do not comply in advance," she stresses. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

"At least 100 Texas children aged 17 and younger got abortions in other states during the first year after Texas banned the procedure, including six aged 11 and under... [Texas abortion law] makes no exception for fetal abnormality, rape, or incest." from @taygoldenstein.bsky.social

My recent interview with Texas-born reproductive rights champion Cecile Richards is up now at @texasobserver.org. We talked about the importance of sharing often tragic abortion stories, what Trump's second term means for abortion care, and how individuals can protect their repro rights under Trump:

Honored to have interviewed Cecile Richards for this month's issue of @texasobserver.org magazine, likely one of her final. The Texas-born repro rights icon stressed the importance of abortion storytelling. She truly never gave up the fight. I'll share a link to our conversation soon. Rest in power.

In addition to the several bills seeking to block access to abortion pills by mail, Texas Republican lawmakers also plan to file an expanded "Heartbeat Law" this session. And activists say: expect men to file more "wrongful death" for abortion lawsuits soon. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...