Texas Bill Would Name Judges Who Give Minors Permission to Have Abortions
This is what you get when you elect Zealots.
The last time Texas lawmakers met in the state capitol, it was to pass the mammoth anti-abortion bill that was the target of state Sen. Wendy Davis’ all-night filibuster. Now the Legislature is in session again after a year-and-a-half-long recess, and conservatives are pushing a slew of new measures that would make it harder for women to end pregnancies.
Two of these bills would publicize the names of judges who give minors permission to obtain abortions—a step that critics say would put judges under intense pressure, or even jeopardize their safety.
In 38 states, it is illegal for a minor to terminate a pregnancy without one parent’s knowledge. (Some of those 38 states go further, and require a parent’s permission.) Girls who are afraid or unable to involve their parents can ask a judge for permission instead. This confidential process, which the Supreme Court helped establish in the late ’70s and early ’80s, is called judicial bypass.
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