Attorney General Ken Paxton expressed displeasure with a district court ruling today granting a temporary restraining order against a law protecting unborn human life from dismemberment abortions. The law, known as Senate Bill 8, was passed during the regular session of the Texas Legislature and signed into law by Governor Abbott. It was set to take effect tomorrow, September 1.
Abortion by dismemberment kills fetuses by tearing them limb from limb while they are still alive, causing the unborn victim to bleed to death. The U.S. Supreme Court holds that states have an interest in protecting and fostering respect for human life, including unborn life.
“Dismemberment abortions are gruesome and inhumane, which makes it troubling that a district court would block Texas’ lawful authority to protect the life of unborn children from such a barbaric practice,” said Marc Rylander, director of communications for the Office of the Attorney General. “The Texas Attorney General will continue to defend our state’s legal right to protect the basic human rights and dignity of the unborn.”
In its ruling, the district court wrote that the ban on dismemberment abortions would likely pose a burden on second-trimester abortions. In fact, SB 8 does not ban all forms of second-trimester abortions, but ensures more humane treatment of the unborn child.