AUSTIN – The Temporary Restraining Order (“TRO”) granted by the Travis County district judge purporting to allow an abortion to proceed will not insulate hospitals, doctors, or anyone else, from civil and criminal liability for violating Texas’ abortion laws. This includes first degree felony prosecutions, Tex. Health & Safety Code § 170A.004, and civil penalties of not less than $100,000 for each violation, Tex. Health & Safety Code §§ 170A.005, 171.207-211. And, while the TRO purports to temporarily enjoin actions brought by the OAG and TMB against Dr. Karsan and her staff, it does not enjoin actions brought by private citizens. Tex. Health & Safety Code § ¬¬171.207. Nor does it prohibit a district or county attorney from enforcing Texas’ pre-Roe abortion laws against Dr. Karsan or anyone else. The TRO will expire long before the statute of limitations for violating Texas’ abortion laws expires.
Summary: Sure, you can get an abortion now. We are still going to ruin your life, destroy your business, and force you to leave the state to ever work again.
Watch the interview the pregnant woman gave tonight. Watch all of it. She and her husband wanted to have that baby but realized the pregnancy was non-viable and risked her health. There are a lot of women in that same situation but aren’t fortunate enough to be able to afford a lawyer. No one should have to go through this kind of cruelty.
My understanding is that she in fact has means to leave to the state. She is subjecting herself to their jurisdiction to show the world the cruelty of the laws.