A big part of the Texas brand is being a state where you can be free and enjoy a heapin' helpin' of personal liberty. Turns out that’s just more hat than cattle.
The conservative Cato Institute released a report ranking the states for personal freedom. Texas comes in second to the last. California out-performed Texas in this list.
To find out more, TPR spoke with Jason Sorens of the Cato Institute and the co-author of the Cato Institute report "Freedom In The 50 States."
Texas Post Roe
Texas is one of the worst states for reproductive rights. The last legislative session passed SB8 which essentially is a complete ban of abortion. On Friday the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals heard a challenge to SB8.
The legal issues being brought before the Fifth Circuit are extremely technical. But at stake is whether abortion providers will have any shot in the coming months to get an order that would at least partially block enforcement of the law.
The anti-abortion law has been in effect now for more than four months in Texas. Pro-choice activists says it’s clear Roe V. Wade is likely to be reversed and they need to prepare for what looks like.
Dr. Deborah McNabb is a retired OB/GYN and abortion provider in San Antonio. She said after Roe v. Wade is overturned Texas will see low income women dying from botched illegal unsafe abortions.
Voting 2022
It’s a new year and there are new voter laws in place for elections in 2022. It’s important that citizens who want to vote understand the new limits and opportunities that exist in Texas.
For example, it's now illegal for public officials to promote voting-by-mail. So independent voting rights advocates will likely try to spread the word, like the League of Women Voters of Texas.
Grace Chimene is the president of the League of Women Voters of Texas.
