Women denied abortions in Texas ask court for clarity over state’s exceptions to ban

By PAUL J. WEBER
Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Women who sued Texas after saying they were denied abortions despite serious risks to their health are asking a court to step in. A Texas judge on Wednesday is set to hear testimony from the women, who say they were told they could not end their pregnancies in Texas even though their lives and health were in danger. The lawsuit asks the court for clarity on when exceptions are allowed in Texas, which has one of the nation’s more restrictive abortion bans. Texas doctors who perform abortions risk life in prison and fines of up to $100,000, leaving many women with providers who are unwilling to even discuss terminating a pregnancy. It is not clear when the state judge in Austin might rule on the case.