For defenders of Roe v Wade and a woman’s right to choose, this is no longer a drill. The long term effort to overturn Roe took a dramatic step forward as the Supreme Court remained silent on a Texas law that bans abortions after about six weeks (when many women don’t know they’re pregnant yet), makes no exception for rape or incest, and (the so crazy it’s worked so far part) “allows private citizens to sue abortion providers and anyone else who helps a woman obtain an abortion — including those who give a woman a ride to a clinic or provide financial assistance to obtain an abortion. Private citizens who bring these suits don’t need to show any connection to those they are suing.” NPR: What The Texas Abortion Ban Does — And What It Means For Other States.

+ NY Mag: Texas Just Got Away With Banning Abortion. Will Anyone Stop Them? “In addition to a horrifying throwback to romanticized notions of “Texas justice,” this provision makes it hard to get an injunction preventing the law from taking effect. Who, exactly, is a court supposed to stop? No sheriff or attorney general will be arresting doctors or nurses (or, for that matter, moms who drive their daughters to a health clinic). And whoever might now file suit hasn’t done so yet. From a legal point of view, it’s not clear that there’s a live controversy until someone actually does. Again, that may happen as soon as today. And the moment a court official stamps one of these ridiculous lawsuits, that’s enough state action to warrant an injunction.”