Texas lawmaker introduces bill to clarify medical exceptions in state's abortion ban

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Texas lawmaker introduces bill to clarify medical exceptions in state's abortion ban

2025-03-15 09:02 Last Updated At：10:56

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas lawmaker who helped pioneer the state's restrictive abortion laws introduced a bill on Friday to clarify medical exceptions allowed under the law, representing a pivot from Republican legislators who have defended the state's abortion ban in the face of lawsuits and medical scrutiny.

The bill, introduced by Republican state Sen. Bryan Hughes, still requires that patients have a medical emergency for a physician to perform an abortion but strikes language that it be a life-threatening condition. The bill would also require doctors and lawyers to receive training about the law.

“We’ve learned in a number of cases where the physician was willing to treat the mom, but the lawyers for the hospital would advise against it,” Hughes said. “So one of the most important things we want to do is make sure that doctors and the hospital lawyers are trained on what the law is.”

Hughes' proposed legislation follows similar efforts by Kentucky lawmakers who added medical exceptions to their state's near-total abortion ban on Thursday.

Texas law currently prohibits abortions except when a pregnant patient has a life-threatening condition. Doctors who are convicted of providing an illegal abortion can face up to 99 years in prison, a $100,000 fine and lose their medical license.

Texas’ abortion laws are among the strictest in the nation and have survived multiple legal challenges since the overturning of Roe v. Wade from opponents who say the law is unclear about when medical exceptions are allowed.

Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the president of the Senate, has made the bill one of his legislative priorities, and Republican Gov. Greg Abbott's office said he's open to supporting the legislation.

“Since the Dobbs decision, there have been 135 medically necessary abortions to save mothers’ lives in Texas with no repercussions for those physicians,” Abbott spokesperson Andrew Mahaleris said in a statement. “Governor Abbott looks forward to seeing any clarifying language in any proposed legislation from the legislature.”

For years, abortion rights advocates have criticized Texas’ abortion laws, which do not allow exceptions for cases of incest or rape, as too restrictive.

“No amount of attempted clarification from Texas lawmakers would suffice because abortion bans are dangerous,” said Ashley Gray, senior policy adviser for the Center for Reproductive Rights. “As long as you’re criminalizing doctors for providing care, patients will suffer.”

In 2024, the Texas Supreme Court said the state’s abortion laws were not too vague, ruling against a group of women who had serious pregnancy complications and were denied abortions. The Texas Medical Board has refused to list specific exceptions for doctors under the law.

Dallas mother Kate Cox was at the center of a separate lawsuit brought in 2023 for a similar issue after a court denied her permission to obtain an abortion after her fetus developed a fatal condition.

A group of more than 100 obstetricians and gynecologists across the state sent a letter in November to state officials urging them to reform the law after an investigation by ProPublica found three women had died after doctors had delayed treating their miscarriages.

Lathan is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Alex Ovechkin scores 887th goal to move within 8 of breaking Wayne Gretzky's record

2025-03-16 12:32 Last Updated At：12:40

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Alex Ovechkin shook off a rough start to this three-game California swing by scoring his 887th career goal Saturday against the San Jose Sharks to move within eight of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record.

Ovechkin had failed to score a goal in the first two games of the trip and had no shots on goal in a loss at Los Angeles on Thursday night. He came up empty on his first three shots and couldn’t generate any prime chances on three power plays before scoring late against the Sharks in a 5-1 victory.

“Hopefully that helps him,” coach Spencer Carbery said. “You could feel he was gripping it a little bit. Power play, he’s been struggling. He hasn’t been getting as many quality looks with his line. ... For him to get that goal, hopefully that’s a good boost for him and grabs him some momentum heading back home and feeling good about his game going into our home games this week.”

Ovechkin deflected a shot from Martin Fehervary past Georgi Romanov with 9:06 remaining in the third period.

The goal led to loud cheers from the sellout crowd that featured many fans who came hoping to see Ovechkin score with chants of “Ovi! Ovi!" filling the building.

“It’s great,” Ovechkin said. “Lots of people are now watching and lots of attention. It’s a great feeling.”

Romanov is the NHL-record 182nd goalie that Ovechkin has scored on out of the 217 goaltenders he has faced in his 20-year career.

The goal made sure Ovechkin didn't match his longest goal drought of the season, having also gone without one in the first three games and then again in early January.

He scored 14 goals in the next 22 games following that stretch to move closer to Gretzky's mark of 894 that long seemed unapproachable before the end of this season.

He now has 15 games remaining to break the record this season, starting with a three-game homestand next week.

Ovechkin did have three assists in the opener of the trip at Anaheim and assisted on Dylan Strome's goal to open the scoring in the win over the Sharks.

“He’s been passing to me too much,” Strome joked. “We got to get him the puck more. He’s doing all the little things right. Nice for (Fehervary) to find him in the slot there. You could just see the crowd. Not much left to say at this point. Hopefully he can get a couple on this homestand here and inch closer and closer. We’re all excited obviously. It’s pretty cool.”

Ovechkin's goal came a few minutes after Trevor van Riemsdyk had given Washington a 4-1 lead when he scored to end a 145-game goal drought dating more than two years to March 9, 2023.

“I definitely understand how hard it is to score. To see O keep doing this every night it seems like, he's right there,” van Riemsdyk said.

“It’s pretty cool. I think everyone understands how amazing this truly is. The quality of these goaltenders nowadays, how hard it is to score in this league. Every year people start doubting him, 'Is this the year he’ll fall off?' They’re going to have to keep waiting."

The 39-year-old Russian star has 34 goals on the season, giving him at least 30 in a record 19 of his 20 seasons. He only fell short in the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season when he scored 24 goals in a 56-game season.

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