Family Planning

Texas’s current abortion laws create a medical, ethical, and legal crisis. The blanket ban does not account for the complexity of real-life pregnancies, especially when they are nonviable or endanger the pregnant person’s health. The ambiguity of what qualifies as a “medical emergency” has led doctors to delay or deny care out of fear of prosecution, resulting in documented cases of preventable suffering and worsening health outcomes.

My Policy Proposals:

1. Repeal Texas’s Total Abortion Ban and Replace it with Gestational Limits Based on Medical Consensus.  Restore abortion access up to the point of fetal viability (~18 weeks) with clear exceptions for maternal health and fetal abnormalities.  This aligns with medical best practices and constitutional protections previously affirmed in Roe v. Wade.
2. Establish Legal Protections for Healthcare Providers.  Enact legislation that shields medical professionals from criminal prosecution when providing abortion care under defined medical circumstances.  Clarifying legal standards will allow doctors to practice medicine without fear of imprisonment.
3. Invest in Reproductive Health Infrastructure and Education.  Expand access to family planning, contraception, and comprehensive sex education to reduce unintended pregnancies. Reproductive health policy must be proactive, not just reactive.

Texas’s abortion laws are among the most extreme in the country and are causing demonstrable harm. The state has a moral and legal obligation to protect its residents’ health and bodily autonomy. Repealing the current ban, protecting providers, and restoring access to medically necessary abortion services are not only sound public health strategies – they are human rights imperatives. Texas must act now to restore reproductive freedom and prevent further tragedies.