Texas Senate Approves Bill Allowing Suits Against Abortion Pill Suppliers

Texas has passed House Bill 7, a groundbreaking law allowing any Texan to sue manufacturers, distributors, or prescribers of abortion pills, with successful plaintiffs potentially receiving at least $100,000. The legislation aims to close what Republicans and anti-abortion groups see as a loophole that allows Texans to access abortion medication via mail-order from providers in states where abortion remains legal. The bill, authored by Rep. Jeff Leach and sponsored by Sen. Bryan Hughes, mirrors Texas's 2021 'bounty hunter' abortion law by empowering private citizens to enforce abortion restrictions through civil litigation. Supporters argue the law protects vulnerable women and unborn children, while critics highlight that abortion pills are FDA-approved and safe, warning the law could chill drug development and restrict access even beyond Texas. The bill's passage is viewed as a potential model for other states seeking to impose similar restrictions, raising concerns about a wave of interstate legal conflicts testing the limits of state and federal authority over abortion medication. Governor Greg Abbott is expected to sign the bill into law, which has sparked sharp debate over its constitutionality and implications for reproductive rights.