State Lawmakers Push Bill That Would Block Texas-Style Abortion Laws

Sacramento CA

24 May, 2022

11:13 AM

Description

CBS San Francisco May 24, 2022 On Monday, state legislators voted to stop courts in Texas and other states from penalizing abortion providers and volunteers in California, part of Democrats' plan to make the state a sanctuary for women seeking reproductive care should the U.S. Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade. Texas bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, which is usually after the first six weeks of pregnancy. The law is unusual because it does not allow state officials to enforce it. Instead, only private citizens can enforce the law by suing the people who provided or aided in the abortion. California Democrats worry the Texas law — and those like it that have since been passed or proposed in other conservative states — could expose their abortion providers and volunteers to civil judgments from other states. Monday, Democrats in the state Assembly gave key approval to a bill that would ban enforcing those judgments in California courts. CBS Local Digital Media personalizes the global reach of CBS-owned and operated television and radio stations with a local perspective.