Texas awaits Supreme Court move on restrictive abortion law

Abortion providers in Texas asked the Supreme Court for an injunction against a law set to go into effect Sept. 1 that would ban abortions after 6 weeks of pregnancy.

The Supreme Court could decide as soon as Tuesday evening whether Texas can move forward with a controversial ban on most abortions after 6 weeks of pregnancy that's set to take effect on Sept. 1. The law, Senate Bill 8, which would be among the strictest in the nation, also authorizes private citizens to sue anyone who helps a woman obtain abortion services and in turn receive at least $10,000 in damages per instance. Abortion providers on Monday appealed to the court for an immediate emergency injunction blocking the law while legal challenges continue. They claim the Texas restrictions would "immediately and catastrophically" limit abortion access for 85% of patients and force many clinics to close across the state. Justice Samuel Alito, who oversees matters coming out of federal courts for the 5th Circuit, which includes Texas, gave the state until 5 p.m. Tuesday to lay out its argument for rejecting the request. He could decide on his own or refer the matter to the full court for a vote.