Texas Faces Multiple Lawsuits Over Anti-Abortion Laws

Kiersten Hogan, who was forced to give birth to a stillborn son after her water broke at 19 weeks, is one of eight new plaintiffs who joined a lawsuit against the state of Texas on Monday, seeking clarification about what qualifies as a medical emergency under Texas’ medieval abortion bans. The lawsuit challenges the state’s three, overlapping bans, including S.B. 8, an de facto ban on abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy. The laws’ vague language has contributed to widespread confusion over what qualifies as a medical emergency, and stiff penalties have made medical providers fearful of offering treatment that could put them in legal jeopardy.