There has been an abundance of controversy surrounding the SB 8 Bill, also known as the Texas Heartbeat Bill, that went into effect at midnight on Sept. 1, 2021, within the state of Texas. The new bill, which was first introduced to the Texas House of Representatives in early March by Representative Shelby Slawson, restricts abortion after six weeks of pregnancy.

In addition, it grants any individual, with or without association to the patient, to sue abortion providers. This can result in a $10,000 reward to the plaintiff. The new law is cruel and heartless.

This law bans abortion after six weeks, regardless of extenuating circumstances like incest or unlawful sexual activity. This makes it possible for criminals to legally sue their victims and receive up to $10,000 if the fetus is aborted after six weeks.

According to the National Foster Youth Institute, more than 250,000 children are placed in foster care in the U.S. every year. Some contributing factors include teen pregnancies, financial instability, and sexual assault. In recent years, opening health care services, like abortion, has prevented children from being sent to foster homes, where they often face instability and possibly danger.

In the past year, Texas lawmakers have been extremely inconsiderate with their decisions that have impacted their residents within the state. For example, Senator Ted Cruz abandoned his state amid the Texas freeze crisis back in February of 2020 to vacation in resorts located in Cancun, Mexico. Now, the council is making it seem as if this is the first step in taking away women’s rights that regard their bodies.

The commission in charge of Texas must reconsider the actions that negatively affect more than half of their residents. Taking away a woman’s right to choose is sadistic and will further the state’s political divide.