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Nearly three years ago, Republican lawmakers in Texas passed SB 8, the most restrictive abortion law in the country at the time. Under the law, abortions are banned once a fetal heartbeat can be detected—which can be as early as five or six weeks of pregnancy, when many people may not even know they’re pregnant.
In other words, it is extremely difficult to safely access abortion care in Texas.
The impact of SB 8 has been devastating. Research shows that since that law was enacted, infant deaths rose by 13%—largely because SB 8 does not include an exemption for congenital anomalies, which are detected later in pregnancy. Pregnant people have also experienced worse health outcomes due to the ban, which does not include exceptions for rape, incest, or the mother’s health.
With the anniversary of SB 8’s passage quickly approaching, Texas Rep. Colin Allred, who’s running for US Senate, is hosting a Women for Allred Kickoff event on Saturday, August 24 at 1 p.m. Allred, a Democrat, is running against Republican incumbent Ted Cruz in the November election and plans to highlight the impacts of the abortion ban on Texas families.
Cruz has been a huge proponent of limiting access to abortion care, calling SB 8 a “victory for Texas and the pro-life movement.” He also voted against a federal bill that would have legalized the right to abortion care across the country.
Abortion access is a top motivating issue for voters across the country. A Gallup poll this past summer found that one-third of American voters say they would only vote for a candidate running for office who shares their views on abortion—and most of them were pro-choice.
Allred, meanwhile, has spoken out against the abortion ban and has worked to expand affordable birth control and over-the-counter contraception.
“The Texas abortion ban is putting women in danger and forcing women to flee our state for life-saving care,” Allred said in a statement shared with COURIER DFW. “This abortion ban is on Ted Cruz, and come November, he will be held accountable by Texans. It’s why I am so proud to launch Women for Allred, and have the support of Kate Cox, Amanda Zurawski and so many others. As our state’s next Senator, I will restore Texans’ freedom.”
If you’re interested in hearing more from Allred, speakers including Cox and Zurawski who have been impacted by Texas’ abortion ban, and other leaders in the fight to preserve a person’s right to make their own healthcare decisions, you can RSVP here to attend the Saturday event at Southside Ballroom in Dallas.
READ MORE: Texas’ abortion ban nearly killed his wife. Now he’s speaking out.
