Tag Archives: abortion

Three reasons our State Senate still sucks

Posted on April 3, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

One: The Texas Senate approved in a preliminary vote Monday its first major anti-abortion bill of the session — a measure that would prohibit state and local governments from partnering with agencies that perform abortions, even if they contract for … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Fifth Circuit wants to see how much it can gut abortion rights before it acts

Posted on March 15, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the takeaway you should have from this. A Texas law banning a common second-trimester abortion procedure will remain blocked after federal judges Wednesday postponed a decision until the Supreme Court takes action on a similar case. A federal district … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Fifth Circuit wants to see how much it can gut abortion rights before it acts

The Heidi Group grift

Posted on March 3, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

You’re not mad enough right now. Read this, that’s fix it. On a Monday evening in May 2016, Carol Everett sent an email to fellow anti-abortion activists detailing “an extraordinary pro-life opportunity.” Her nonprofit, the Heidi Group, she said, had … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Paxton wants power to pursue political prosecutions

Posted on February 5, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the only rational interpretation of this. As he begins his second term, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is looking to expand the prosecutorial power of his office, asking the Legislature for more resources and expanded jurisdiction to go after … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , | 16 Comments

Of course some anti-abortion bill will pass this session

Posted on February 1, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Passing bills restricting abortion is one of the reasons the modern Republican Party exists, so of course some bill (or bills) which do that in some fashion will be passed in this legislative session. It’s as safe a bet as … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Omnibus lawsuit against Texas abortion laws begins

Posted on January 9, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Gotta say, I’m less optimistic about this now than I was when it was filed. State attorneys and lawyers representing reproductive rights groups argued in federal court Monday over whether a sweeping lawsuit challenging more than 60 Texas abortion regulations … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Omnibus lawsuit against Texas abortion laws begins

Second trimester lawsuit appeal heard at the Fifth Circuit

Posted on November 8, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Elections or no elections, the world keeps spinning. The federal Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments Monday morning about whether Texas should be able to ban doctors from performing the most common second-trimester abortion procedure, called dilation and evacuation. … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Planning to fail

Posted on September 30, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Big surprise. Anti-abortion activist Carol Everett had no experience running a family planning program when the state of Texas awarded her millions in taxpayer funds to help rebuild a network of low-income women’s health providers. The state knew that. So … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“Fetal remains” law tossed

Posted on September 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Very good. U.S. District Judge David Alan Ezra struck down a Texas law on Wednesday that would have required hospitals and clinics to bury cremate fetal remains, causing another courtroom setback for state leaders and anti-abortion groups. Under Senate Bill … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“Fetal remains” trial ends

Posted on July 22, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Now we wait for a ruling. State and reproductive rights attorneys wrapped up a five-day trial in federal court on Friday that will determine whether a Texas law requiring health providers to cremate or bury fetal remains can go into … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on “Fetal remains” trial ends

“Fetal remains” lawsuit trial underway

Posted on July 17, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go. State and reproductive rights attorneys are going head to head again in federal court on Monday to argue whether Texas should require health providers to cremate or bury fetal remains. “It’s a tough case for everybody,” U.S. … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Omnibus lawsuit against anti-abortion laws

Posted on June 15, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Talk about going big. Two years after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned major provisions of Texas’ omnibus House Bill 2, abortion rights groups want to use that decision to take down years’ worth of anti-abortion legislation, before the court makeup changes. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

“Fetal remains” law blocked in court

Posted on January 30, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s deja vu all over again. Texas’ second attempt to require health providers to bury or cremate fetal remains has been temporarily thwarted by a federal judge and another court battle is imminent. In his Monday afternoon ruling, U.S. District … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on “Fetal remains” law blocked in court

Abortion procedure ban struck down

Posted on November 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good news, for now. A federal district judge handed a victory to abortion rights groups Wednesday when he struck down part of a Texas law curbing access to the most common second-trimester abortion procedure, called dilation and evacuation. In a … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Abortion procedure ban struck down

Second trimester abortion lawsuit hearings conclude

Posted on November 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Now we wait. In a five-day trial that concluded Wednesday, lawyers for the state defended part of a Texas law that bans the most common second-trimester abortion procedure unless the fetus is deceased. Abortion rights groups sued the state in … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Second trimester abortion lawsuit hearings conclude

Julian 2020?

Posted on November 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

He has raised the possibility. Texas Democrat Julian Castro confirmed Sunday he is seriously considering running for president in 2020 and former state Sen. Wendy Davis left open the possibility she will take another run at running for governor in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Second trimester abortion lawsuit hearings begin

Posted on November 4, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Deja vu all over again. Texas abortion providers argued in court Thursday that it is not medically necessary to require women to undergo injections or other procedures in order to comply with a new state law restricting the most common … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Second trimester abortion lawsuit hearings begin

State Rep. Larry Gonzales to retire

Posted on September 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is an opportunity for the Democrats. State Rep. Larry Gonzales, R-Round Rock, is not running for re-election. “It has been an honor and a privilege to serve HD52 and this great state,” Gonzales wrote Wednesday night on Facebook. “We … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on State Rep. Larry Gonzales to retire

Second trimester abortion procedure ban halted

Posted on September 1, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

For now, at least. A federal judge has temporarily stopped Texas officials from enforcing a ban on the most common second-trimester abortion procedure, just one day before the ban was set to go into effect. Judge Lee Yeakel of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Second trimester abortion procedure ban halted

Latest abortion lawsuit heard in court

Posted on August 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again, and again and again and again. For the fifth time since 2013, lawyers for Texas will defend an abortion-related law or regulation Tuesday in the Austin federal courthouse, where they hope to reverse a string of legal defeats … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Another national publication looks at CD07

Posted on August 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Mother Jones, come on down. In addition to [Laura] Moser, the top competitors for the March primary are first-time candidates with stories that fit the political moment in different ways. Lizzie Fletcher, a well-connected lawyer at a large downtown firm, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Another national publication looks at CD07

Smell ya later, Senate

Posted on August 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

How about that? The special legislative session is over — in one chamber, at least. The Texas House abruptly gaveled out Sine Die – the formal designation meaning the end of a session – on Tuesday evening after voting to … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

More birth control by mail options

Posted on August 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good to see. “We want women to see us and say, ‘These are people who believe that if you want birth control you should have it,’” said Hans Ganeskar, co-founder and CEO of Nurx, a California-based site founded in 2015 … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Senate has mostly completed the Abbott special session agenda

Posted on July 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I’m just going to hit the highlights here because this stuff is happening quickly and often late in the day, but most of the Abbott 20-point special session agenda has been turned into bills that have as of this morning … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Yet another lawsuit filed over yet another unconstitutional anti-abortion law

Posted on July 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Texas is heading to court over a state law going into effect in September banning the most common second-trimester abortion procedure. The Center for Reproductive Rights and Planned Parenthood announced on Thursday … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Yet another lawsuit filed over yet another unconstitutional anti-abortion law

State appeals injunction of “fetal remains” rule

Posted on June 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton asked a federal appeals court Tuesday to overturn an Austin judge’s ruling that blocked the state from enforcing a rule requiring fetal tissue to be buried or cremated. U.S. District Judge Sam … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on State appeals injunction of “fetal remains” rule

This session’s unconstitutional abortion bill passes

Posted on May 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again. Texas senators voted Friday to send a bill banning the most common second-trimester abortion procedure and changing how health care facilities handle fetal remains to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. Under Senate Bill 8, which passed 22-9, … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on This session’s unconstitutional abortion bill passes

It’s HB2 all over again

Posted on May 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again. GOP House lawmakers took a sweeping approach to anti-abortion legislation on Friday, preliminarily passing a measure that would ban the most common form of a second-trimester procedure and change how health care providers dispose of fetal … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on It’s HB2 all over again

SB4 is what you get when you vote for Greg Abbott

Posted on May 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is me, shaking my head. Duque, who is Latina and Catholic, represents two constituencies Abbott courted during his campaign. The same constituencies strongly opposed the sanctuary cities ban, which Abbott made an emergency item in January and championed throughout … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Bathroom bills and business interests

Posted on May 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Monthly’s Dave Mann reviews the Republican schism over the bathroom bill and comes to the same conclusion as I have. At the moment, the Legislature—and the Republican party, for that matter—has settled into an uneasy stalemate between Patrick’s right-leaning … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Winning the battles but losing the war

Posted on April 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the story of reproductive rights, and access to reproductive health care in general, in Texas. “We have made tremendous gains,” said Joe Pojman, executive director of the Texas Alliance for Life. He hopes that someday, perhaps under Trump, the … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Winning the battles but losing the war

House passes its budget

Posted on April 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Mostly shenanigan-free, with a nice little side order of shade for a few people who deserve it. After 15 and a half hours of debate on hundreds of amendments to the Texas House budget, lawmakers in the lower chamber passed … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Video fraudsters in trouble again

Posted on April 1, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

In California this time. California prosecutors on Tuesday charged two anti-abortion activists who made undercover videos of themselves trying to buy fetal tissue from Planned Parenthood with 15 felonies, saying they invaded the privacy of medical providers by filming without … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Busy day in the Senate

Posted on March 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

They got stuff done, I’ll give them that. Whether it was stuff worth doing or not, I’ll leave to you. 1. Senate bill would let Houston voters weigh in on fix to pension crisis. The Senate on Wednesday voted 21-10 … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Busy day in the Senate