Texas Abortion Ban Doesn’t Apply Outside the State, Judge Rules

A federal judge said a Texas law criminalizing abortion doesn’t apply to groups who help women travel out of state to have abortions, despite pledges from elected officials to prosecute those who do.

US District Judge Robert Pitman issued a preliminary injunction on Friday, partially granting a request from reproductive-rights groups that sued Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and local prosecutors in August. The groups sought protection from criminal and civil charges should they help women in the state travel to obtain abortions elsewhere.

However, Pitman dismissed the bulk of the groups’ claims, including their allegations against Paxton. The judge ...