This is Episode 1 in our 3-part series on reproductive health in Texas — where we have world-class health facilities, yet rank near the bottom when it comes to women’s health outcomes.

Eleanor Klibanoff, the law and politics reporter and former women’s health reporter at the Texas Tribune, joined senior health policy fellow Elena Marks to discuss new abortion legislation in Texas that aims to clarify when doctors can perform emergency abortions.

Senate Bill 31, or the Life of the Mother Act, was passed by the Texas House in late May and awaits passage by Gov. Greg Abbott.

Eleanor and Elena explored the bipartisan support for the legislation and whether it goes far enough to clarify the only exception allowed by the state’s abortion ban — to save the life of the pregnant patient — following numerous reports of women who died or nearly died after being denied abortions by doctors who were confused by the law or too fearful of strict penalties to intervene.

They also discussed SB 2880, or the Women and Child Protection Act, which was in committee at the time of recording. This bill, which would have expanded penalties for violating the abortion ban, ultimately died in the Texas House with the end of the state legislative session on June 2.

Featured:

Eleanor Klibanoff, https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/eleanor-klibanoff/

Elena Marks, J.D., MPH, https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/elena-m-marks

This conversation was recorded on May 9, 2025.

A transcript of this episode is available here: https://bit.ly/43XeW9g

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