Texas Abortion Law Hinges on State License Boards’ Power (1)

Abortion providers and patients sought Thursday to convince the Texas Supreme Court to hold that state boards overseeing doctors, nurses, and others in health care can enforce a law banning abortions after six weeks’ gestation.

A ruling to the contrary would effectively end a federal lawsuit challenging the validity of Texas’ S.B. 8, Marc Hearron, of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said. Hearron represents Whole Woman’s Health, other providers, and patients.

S.B. 8 gives the state boards indirect enforcement power, Hearron said. Eight U.S. Supreme Court justices said as much in a December decision, Justice Debra Lehrmann noted during the ...