WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) – The Supreme Court ruled Friday that a lawsuit by abortion providers challenging Texas’ near-total ban on the procedure can move forward, which is a victory for opponents of the law.
The measure, which is the most restrictive in the nation, prohibits abortions in the state after about the sixth week of pregnancy before many women know they are pregnant.
The Supreme Court’s eight-to-one decision essentially allowed challenges against the abortion law to continue within the state of Texas from abortion providers who say that their procedures have plummeted since the law went into effect back on September 1st.
One group said that the number of procedures across the state of Texas has declined by 50% across the state and there is a concern that women from lower socioeconomic backgrounds could be impacted by not having the means to travel across state lines and have abortions be performed.
The Supreme Court did not rule on the constitutionality of SB 8. They simply said legal challenges can continue.
The law that was crafted in Texas makes it difficult to be challenged at the federal level, currently remains in place.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton have yet to officially respond.
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