SCOTUS and the Texas Law Banning Abortions

NPR's Nina Totenberg explains in this segment of Morning Edition what the Texas law which came into effect September 1st bans (abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, usually around 6 weeks) and the very unusual way the law will be enforced (through legal actions by private citizens). In a decision handed down at midnight, the Supreme Court refused to decide now whether the law is constitutional, but this ruling would indicate that the Court is willing to overrule Roe v. Wade. In fact, in Texas today, abortions are all but impossible. 5 min. 15 sec. Transcript available.

More from NPR - about the practical effects of the new law - can be found here. 4 min. 32 sec. Transcript available.

Dahlia Lithwick at Slate has a much longer (1 hour) analysis here. Transcript available.