The Texas Senate unanimously approved a bill Tuesday that aims to clarify when doctors can perform an abortion under the state’s near-total ban. The bill, which is backed by anti-abortion groups, medical and hospital associations and a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers, will go next to the House.
Senate Bill 31 comes amid a deluge of stories of women dying or nearly dying after being denied medically necessary abortions by doctors who were confused by the law or too fearful of the strict penalties to intervene. Texas’ laws ban all abortions except to save the life of the pregnant patient.
