Attorney General Ken Paxton joined a coalition of Attorneys General from across the country in urging Congress to pass legislation that would preempt “shield laws” enacted by radical pro-abortion states. In a letter to congressional leadership, the coalition calls for federal action to stop efforts by certain states to obstruct the enforcement of pro-life laws.
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which repealed the disastrous Roe v. Wade decision, Texas continues to lead the nation in protecting the unborn with strong pro-life laws in effect. However, several pro-abortion states have responded to Dobbs by enacting “shield laws.” These statutes are nothing more than an unlawful attempt to stop abortion providers from facing justice, even when their actions break other states’ laws. Such laws also undermine state sovereignty and violate the Constitution’s Full Faith and Credit Clause and Extradition Clause.
“These shield laws are a direct attack on the rule of law and a grave threat to our constitutional order,” said Attorney General Paxton. “They embolden lawlessness, weaken our ability to enforce Texas laws, and trample on the rights of sovereign states to protect the unborn. Congress has the constitutional authority to rein in these ‘shield laws’ and stop other radical pro-abortion laws, such as statutes that allow unconscionable late-term abortions. I strongly support Congress exercising that authority and putting an end to these radical anti-life policies.”
This action builds on Attorney General Paxton’s recent legal petition against a New York County Clerk that refused to enforce a court judgment against a radical abortionist who illegally mailed abortion-inducing drugs into Texas. These efforts make clear that the Attorney General remains committed to ensuring that Texas’s pro-life laws are enforced and that those who violate them, whether in-state or not, are held fully accountable.
To read the letter, click here.