September 4, 2021 | by Kristina D'Amico
From the Firm: National and International News Here is a roundup of the big news this week: :
Texas abortion law: US Supreme Court votes not to block ban
Mask tracker: State mask mandates are trickling back
By now, we're sure you've heard that the Supreme Court has upheld the law passed by the state of Texas. The "Heartbeat Act" bans terminations after detection of foetal heartbeat. The new law gives any individual the right to sue doctors who perform an abortion past the six-week point. What differentiates Texas's new law from other restrictions is that it authorizes a "private civil right of action", which will allow people to sue to enforce the law even if they themselves have not been harmed.
As schools reopen and the delta variant begins to become an increased concern, a few states across the country are reinstating their mask requirements. Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico have placed mask mandates for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people in place, along with seven other states. Six states currently have mask mandates for the unvaccinated.
President Biden and his administration, despite the news from the Supreme Court, has condemned the decision and said his administration would "protect and defend" the constitutional rights established under Roe v Wade and "upheld as a precedent for nearly half a century".
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