After several months of waiting for a decision, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has issued a severe and devastating opinion on House Bill 2. We are absolutely heartbroken by the ruling, but we are not surprised.
Infuriatingly, the Court found that requirements in House Bill 2 did not impose an undue burden on a “large faction” of Texans seeking abortions, even though only a handful of Texas clinics – all in major cities – meet the onerous, costly standards in HB 2.
While it’s too soon to predict the full impact of the Court’s decision, the 27 million residents of Texas will likely be left with just 7 or 8 abortion providers. This means Texans seeking abortion care will have to travel even further and wait longer for appointment times, resulting in additional costs for travel, transportation, child care, and lodging – and that increased cost could make abortion out of reach for even more Texans in need.
No matter what, we want you to know that we will not stop funding abortion, and we will not stop fighting. We are united in solidarity with Texans who lack access – especially people of color, undocumented people, those living in rural Texas and west Texas, Texans lacking transportation, Texans who are living in poverty – and we will continue to do our best to serve them. We do this work for them and all who are disproportionately impacted by this ruling.
Please support our work by making a donation today. We depend on your donations to help as many Texans as possible – and with today’s ruling, we need you more than ever.
Here for the long haul,
Susy Hemphill
President, Board of Directors
Lilith Fund for Reproductive Equity
President, Board of Directors
Lilith Fund for Reproductive Equity
