Tag Archives: abortion

This is why you leave women’s health to the professionals

Posted on March 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Because amateurs and zealots do a lousy job. In pushing a replacement for the Affordable Care Act that cuts off funds for Planned Parenthood, Republicans are out to reassure women who rely on the major health care organization that other … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on This is why you leave women’s health to the professionals

The “Man’s Right To Know” Act

Posted on March 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is some high-quality trolling. Texas State Rep. Jessica Farrar, D-Houston, filed a bill Friday that would penalize men for “unregulated masturbatory emissions.” The satirical House Bill 4260 would encourage men to remain “fully abstinent” and only allow the “occasional … Continue reading →

Posted in General snarkiness, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

House hears “fetal remains” bill

Posted on March 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Seriously? [House Bill 35] would create a registry of organizations that can help pay for burial or cremation of fetal remains. That way, the cost associated with burials would not fall on women, [bill author Rep. Byron] Cook said. The … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on House hears “fetal remains” bill

Texas cannot bar Planned Parenthood from Medicaid

Posted on February 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good. U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks ruled Tuesday afternoon that Texas clinics affiliated with Planned Parenthood can continue to care for patients under the state’s Medicaid program, a phew-worthy victory for reproductive rights advocates and a loss for the state’s … Continue reading →

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

“Fetal remains” rule blocked

Posted on January 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good. U.S. District Court Judge Sam Sparks ruled Texas cannot require health providers to bury or cremate fetuses, delivering another blow to state leaders in the reproductive rights debate. On Friday afternoon, Sparks wrote in his ruling that Texas Department … Continue reading →

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

Planned Parenthood still in Medicaid

Posted on January 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

For now, pending judgment. U.S. District Court Judge Sam Sparks on Thursday delayed Planned Parenthood’s ouster from the state’s Medicaid program until Feb. 21. […] During closing arguments Thursday hearing, attorneys from both sides cited clips from the video. Sparks … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Planned Parenthood still in Medicaid

Here we go again with Planned Parenthood and Medicaid

Posted on January 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Rooting for another injunction. Texas officials are back in federal court this week over abortion-related policy, this time to defend efforts to oust Planned Parenthood from Medicaid. Planned Parenthood has asked U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks to block the ouster … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Here we go again with Planned Parenthood and Medicaid

“Fetal remains” rule still on hold

Posted on January 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Take all the time you need. As he considers a final ruling on the state’s fetal remains burial rule, U.S. District Court Judge Sam Sparks is delaying the start date of the rule for at least another three weeks. On … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on “Fetal remains” rule still on hold

Back to court for Planned Parenthood

Posted on January 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again. Planned Parenthood late Friday asked a federal judge in Austin to block plans by Texas officials to kick the organization out of Medicaid. Calling state plans “nothing more than a politically motivated witch hunt,” Planned Parenthood … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Back to court for Planned Parenthood

Texas follows through on threat to pull Medicaid funds from Planned Parenthood

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

More than a year after the initial threat was made. Clearly, you can’t rush these things. After more than a year of delays, Texas is officially kicking Planned Parenthood out of the state’s Medicaid program. In a move that could … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Texas follows through on threat to pull Medicaid funds from Planned Parenthood

The religious objection to the “fetal remains” rule

Posted on December 19, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It may not be your religion, but who are we to tell people of sincere religious faith what to do? “The Satanic Temple believes burial rites are a well-established component of religious practice. In addition, members of The Satanic Temple … Continue reading →

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

“Fetal remains” rule put on hold

Posted on December 16, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A federal judge has delayed Texas’ fetal remains burial rule until Jan. 6. Judge Sam Sparks ruled Thursday afternoon that the Texas Department of State Health Services would have to push back its start date for requiring health providers … Continue reading →

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

“Fetal remains” lawsuit filed

Posted on December 13, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. Today the Center for Reproductive Rights filed new litigation against the state of Texas over unconstitutional new regulations that mandate the burial or cremation of embryonic and fetal tissue that results from abortions, miscarriages, or ectopic pregnancy surgery … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

“Fetal remains” lawsuit in the works

Posted on December 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Get ready. Health providers and abortion clinics have less than two weeks to figure out how to comply with Texas’ new fetal remains rules — that is, if a lawsuit doesn’t halt the process first. Amy Hagstrom Miller, founder of … Continue reading →

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

The latest abortion hysterics

Posted on December 9, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good grief. Women who are feeling pressured by their parents or partner to have an abortion are being advised by the state to pick up the phone and dial 911, according to a new pamphlet the state released Monday. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , | Comments Off on The latest abortion hysterics

The costs of the “fetal remains” rule

Posted on December 4, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This is going to cost a lot of people a lot of money. State health officials have contended that the “minimum costs in complying with the rules” would total $450 a year per health care facility, arguing that those costs … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The costs of the “fetal remains” rule

“Fetal remains” rule goes into effect

Posted on November 29, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Cue up that next lawsuit. Texas’ proposed rules requiring the cremation or burial of fetal remains will take effect Dec. 19, according to state health officials. Despite intense outcry from the medical community and reproductive rights advocates, the state will … Continue reading →

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

More on the Texas telemedicine lawsuit

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Monthly has a nice overview. Imagine you’re sick, or you think you might be sick, and you want to talk to a doctor. Instead of waiting a week or two to see your primary care physician, you just open … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More on the Texas telemedicine lawsuit

The cost of defending HB2

Posted on October 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It was quite expensive. Texas could be on the hook for more than $4.5 million as part of its failed legal battle to defend its 2013 abortion restrictions, which the U.S. Supreme struck down as unconstitutional in June. The Center … Continue reading →

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

The next abortion lawsuit should be on its way

Posted on September 26, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

We were warned it would need to happen. Despite intense outcry from the medical community, reproductive rights advocates and funeral directors, Texas isn’t budging on a proposed rule to require the cremation or burial of fetal remains. Following an initial … Continue reading →

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

Auditor asked to investigate Heidi Group health care grant

Posted on August 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The left-leaning nonprofit Progress Texas is asking the state auditor’s office to investigate a $1.6 million state contract awarded to an anti-abortion group under the state’s new Healthy Texas Women program. […] The Heidi Group does not currently provide … Continue reading →

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

Texas finds a new way to be hostile to women’s health

Posted on August 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I feel like it must be someone’s job somewhere to come up with stuff like this. A group led by an anti-abortion advocate appears to be one of the largest recipients of state funding from the “Healthy Texas Women” program, … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

More on the “fetal remains” rule change

Posted on August 7, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It’s stupid, harmful, unnecessary, expensive, and almost certainly in violation of the SCOTUS ruling in Whole Women’s Health v. Hellerstedt. But other than that, no biggie. In the aftermath of a car accident in 2014, Denee Booker was told by … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More on the “fetal remains” rule change

Get ready for the next abortion lawsuit

Posted on August 3, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Expect it in a couple of months. Texas’ proposed rules requiring the cremation or burial of fetal remains “will almost certainly trigger costly litigation,” reproductive rights lawyers say. In a letter to the Texas Department of State Health Services, lawyers with … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Get ready for the next abortion lawsuit

If we can’t ban it, we’ll BS about it

Posted on July 29, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The “it” in question is of course abortion, with the state of Texas lying to women about its effects and risks. Death and infertility were just two of the risks a doctor described to Kryston Skinner when she chose to … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on If we can’t ban it, we’ll BS about it

Harris County DA drops charges against video fraudsters

Posted on July 27, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Disappointing, to say the least. Criminal charges against the anti-abortion activists behind undercover recordings of a Houston Planned Parenthood facility were dismissed Tuesday. David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt, the videographers who infiltrated Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, had been charged with … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

What next for voter ID?

Posted on July 22, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Rick Hasen, writing in Slate: The trial court was ready to throw out the entire law, but the 5th Circuit said such a remedy went too far. The court held that when a trial court finds a law has a … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on What next for voter ID?

State finally releases abortion data

Posted on July 3, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It’s exactly what you’d expect. The Texas Department of State Health Services has released the state’s 2014 abortion data after weeks of allegationsthat the agency had been intentionally withholding the numbers. The 2014 data is significant because it is the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Wendy Davis takes a victory lap

Posted on June 29, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

As well she should. Wendy Davis, the woman whose 11-hour filibuster focused national attention on Texas’ efforts to restrict abortion access in 2013, celebrated Monday when the Supreme Court ruled that the state law was unconstitutional. “I’m overjoyed,” Davis said … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Wendy Davis takes a victory lap

SCOTUS strikes down HB2

Posted on June 28, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Hallelujah. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday handed Texas abortion providers a major victory by overturning Texas’ 2013 abortion restrictions. On a 5-3 vote, the high court overturned restrictions passed as part of House Bill 2 in 2013 that required … Continue reading →

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

Where’s the abortion data?

Posted on June 18, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The ACLU would like to know. With the U.S. Supreme Court poised to decide the biggest abortion case in nearly a decade, the ACLU of Texas is demanding that the Department of State Health Services “stop concealing” abortion statistics for … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Misdemeanor charge dropped against video fraudster Daleiden

Posted on June 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Just the misdemeanor charge, not the felony. A Harris County judge has dropped one of the criminal charges against an anti-abortion activist who was indicted after making undercover recordings of a Houston Planned Parenthood facility. David Daleiden, one of the … Continue reading →

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

Just waiting on SCOTUS’ HB2 ruling

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll know by the end of the month, one way or the other. In the next few weeks the U.S. Supreme Court, in one of the most significant reproductive rights cases in more than two decades, is expected to determine … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Just waiting on SCOTUS’ HB2 ruling

SCOTUS punts on birth control lawsuit

Posted on May 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. Zubik v. Burwell was supposed to be an epic showdown over the power of religious objectors to limit the rights of others. A sequel to the Court’s 2014 decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, Zubik involved regulations expanding women’s access … Continue reading →

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