CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Thursday turned out to be a big day in the fight over abortion in Texas. A trigger law banning nearly all abortions is now in effect, something that hasn't happened in nearly 50 years.
Most abortions actually became illegal in Texas last September. You'll remember, that's when Senate Bill 8 went into effect, banning abortions after about six weeks.
As of Thursday, performing nearly any abortion in our state, falls into the most serious classification of crimes, a felony.
All of this came into play when Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court this summer. It brings much harsher penalties to those who perform an abortion.
That's true whether it's a surgical procedure or by providing medication knowing it will be used for that purpose. A second-degree felony is elevated to a first degree if an unborn child dies as a result.
It carries a penalty of up to life in prison and at least a $100,000 fine. It is also important to note that there are no exemptions allowed for cases of rape or incest.
Of course, people can count on politicians to use the issue to drive voters to the polls this November. But as to which party it will benefit most, political expert Jason Whitely said it's hard to tell.
"The thing that I'll be watching is whether this issue and the trigger law and the headlines it creates actually drives out independent voters and suburban women," Whitely said. "They are the people that both parties are trying to get this November and it will be interesting to see exactly who capitalizes off of it."
One thing to keep in mind is that while the law is written to punish those who provide abortions, it does not penalize those who seek them. In other words, a pregnant woman getting an illegal abortion, would not be guilty of a crime.
In the meantime, if you are a Texas resident and are seeking an abortion, you will have to leave the state in order to have the procedure done, something many women say they are willing to do.
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