A divided Supreme Court late Wednesday denied an effort by abortion rights groups to halt a new Texas law that effectively bans abortions in the state. The new measure, along with hundreds of other new laws in Texas, went into effect Wednesday.
The law, signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in May, bans abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can occur at six weeks. It doesn’t include exceptions for rape or incest but allows women to have the procedure for “medical emergencies.” It is one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the nation.
Rather than having the state government enforce the ban, the Texas law allows private citizens to sue anyone who helps a woman receive an abortion after a heartbeat is detected. A successful plaintiff in such a case could receive at least $10,000 from the abortion provider or others in damages.
The restriction puts Texas at the vanguard of states challenging the boundaries of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark Supreme Court case that established a woman’s legal right to an abortion.
Here’s a look at who voted for the Texas abortion law
The measure passed the House of Representatives mostly along party lines with one Democratic and 82 Republican representatives voting yes on May 6.
- Steve Allison, R-San Antonio
- Charles “Doc” Anderson, R-Waco
- Trent Ashby, R-Lufkin
- Ernest Bailes, R-Shepherd
- Cecil Bell Jr., R-Magnolia
- Keith Bell, R-Forney
- Kyle Biedermann, R-Fredericksburg
- Greg Bonnen, R-Friendswood
- Brad Buckley, R-Killeen
- DeWayne Burns, R-Cleburne
- Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock
- Angie Chen Button, R-Richardson
- Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park
- Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake
- Jeff Cason, R-Bedford
- Travis Clardy, R-Nacogdoches
- David Cook, R-Mansfield
- Tom Craddick, R-Midland
- John Cyrier, R-Lockhart
- Drew Darby, R-San Angelo
- Jay Dean, R-Longview
- Jake Ellzey, R-Waxahachie
- James Frank, R-Wichita Falls
- John Frullo, R-Lubbock
- Gary Gates, R-Richmond
- Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth
- Craig Goldman, R-Fort Worth
- Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City
- E. Sam Harless, R-Spring
- Cody Harris, R-Palestine
- Cole Hefner, R-Mount Pleasant
- Justin Holland, R-Rockwall
- Dan Huberty, R-Houston
- Lacey Hull, R-Houston
- Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi
- Jacey Jetton, R-Richmond
- Kyle Kacal, R-College Station
- Ken King, R-Canadian
- Phil King, R-Weatherford
- Stephanie Klick, R-Fort Worth
- Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth
- John Kuempel, R-Seguin
- Stan Lambert, R-Abilene
- Brooks Landgraf, R-Odessa
- Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio
- Jeff Leach, R-Plano
- Ben Leman, R-Anderson
- J.M. Lozano, R-Kingsville
- Will Metcalf, R-Conroe
- Morgan Meyer, R-Dallas
- Mayes Middleton, R-Wallisville
- Geanie Morrison, R-Victoria
- Jim Murphy, R-Houston
- Andrew Murr, R-Junction
- Candy Noble, R-Lucas
- Tom Oliverson, R-Cypress
- Chris Paddie, R-Marshall
- Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound
- Jared Patterson, R-Frisco
- Dennis Paul, R-Houston
- Four Price, R-Amarillo
- John Raney, R-College Station
- Glenn Rogers, R-Graford
- Scott Sanford, R-McKinney
- Matt Schaefer, R-Tyler
- Mike Schofield, R-Katy
- Matt Shaheen, R-Plano
- Hugh Shine, R-Temple
- Bryan Slaton, R-Royse City
- Shelby Slawson, R-Stephenville
- Reggie Smith, R-Sherman
- John Smithee, R-Amarillo
- David Spiller, R-Jacksboro
- Phil Stephenson, R-Wharton
- Lynn Stucky, R-Denton
- Valoree Swanson, R-Spring
- Ed Thompson, R-Pearland
- Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington
- Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands
- Gary VanDeaver, R-New Boston
- Cody Thane Vasut, R-Angleton
- James White, R-Hillister
- Terry Wilson, R-Marble Falls
It then passed the Texas Senate on May 13 with one Democratic and 17 Republican senators voting yes.
- Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston
- Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury
- Dawn Buckingham, R-Lakeway
- Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels
- Bob Hall, R-Edgewood
- Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills
- Joan Huffman, R-Houston
- Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola
- Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham
- Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville
- Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound
- Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville
- Angela Paxton, R-McKinney
- Charles Perry, R-Lubbock
- Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown
- Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo
- Drew Springer, R-Muenster
- Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed the bill into law on May 19.
Here’s who voted against the Texas abortion law
Sixty-Four Democratic representatives voted against the measure in the House on May 6. No Republicans voted no.
- Alma A. Allen, D-Houston
- Rafael Anchía, D-Dallas
- Michelle Beckley, D-Carrollton
- Diego M. Bernal, D-San Antonio
- Rhetta Andrews Bowers, D-Garland
- John Bucy III, D-Austin
- Liz Campos, D-San Antonio
- Terry Canales, D-Edinburg
- Sheryl Cole, D-Austin
- Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth
- Philip Cortez, D-San Antonio
- Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas
- Yvonne Davis, D-Dallas
- Joe Deshotel, D-Beaumont
- Alex Dominguez, D-Brownsville
- Harold V. Dutton Jr., D-Houston
- Art Fierro, D-El Paso
- Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, D-San Antonio
- Jessica González, D-Dallas
- Mary González, D-Clint
- Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin
- Bobby Guerra, D-Mission
- Ana Hernandez, D-Houston
- Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin
- Donna Howard, D-Austin
- Celia Israel, D-Austin
- Ann Johnson, D-Houston
- Jarvis Johnson, D-Houston
- Julie Johnson, D-Farmers Branch
- Tracy O. King, D-Batesville
- Oscar Longoria, D-Mission
- Ray Lopez, D-San Antonio
- Eddie Lucio III, D-Brownsville
- Mando Martinez, D-Weslaco
- Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio
- Terry Meza, D-Irving
- Ina Minjarez, D-San Antonio
- Joe Moody, D-El Paso
- Christina Morales, D-Houston
- Eddie Morales Jr., D-Eagle Pass
- Penny Morales Shaw, D-Houston
- Sergio Muñoz Jr., D-Palmview
- Victoria Neave, D-Dallas
- Claudia Ordaz Perez, D-El Paso
- Lina Ortega, D-El Paso;
- Leo Pacheco, D-San Antonio
- Mary Ann Perez, D-Houston
- Ana-Maria Ramos, D-Richardson
- Richard Peña Raymond, D-Laredo
- Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City
- Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin
- Ramon Romero Jr., D-Fort Worth
- Toni Rose, D-Dallas
- Jon Rosenthal, D-Houston
- Carl Sherman Sr., D-DeSoto
- James Talarico, D-Round Rock
- Shawn Thierry, D-Houston
- Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston
- Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie
- John Turner, D-Dallas
- Hubert Vo, D-Houston
- Armando Walle, D-Houston
- Gene Wu, D-Houston
- Erin Zwiener, D-Driftwood
Twelve Democratic senators voted against the measure on May 13. No Republican senator voted no.
- Carol Alvarado, D-Houston
- César Blanco, D-El Paso
- Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin
- Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio
- Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen
- Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas
- José Menéndez, D-San Antonio
- Borris Miles, D-Houston
- Beverly Powell, D-Burleson
- Royce West, D-Dallas
- John Whitmire, D-Houston
- Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo
Who didn’t vote on Texas’ abortion law?
A few lawmakers did not vote on the measure. Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, was absent from the Senate vote. Reps. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, and Abel Herrero, D-Robstown, were absent from the House vote.
Speaker of the House Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, was present but did not vote on the measure.