The travel bans on some Texas roads affect only women who may be traveling out of state to obtain an abortion. More than 40 Texas cities and counties have passed ordinances declaring themselves "sanctuary cities for the unborn."
Democratic State Senator Nathan Johnson of Dallas says the right to interstate travel is protected under the US Constitution. He questions how this would be enforced. "Are they just going to pull over every pregnant woman who is on her way to the grocery store and inquire whether or not she could be on her way to New Mexico? Could they get a tip that a woman might be pregnant so they're going to pull her over and have her supply records from her OB/GYN? This is Orwellian. stuff"
Under these measures, private citizens can file lawsuits against those whom they suspect of aiding these women.
Johnson says there's a certain irony to his filing SB 45. He is strongly in favor of local control. "But this is not about local governance. This is a flagrant infringement upon the constitutional right to interstate travel. It's a pernicious Big Government acting at the local level, and for the benefit of all citizens, the state has an obligation to stop it."
The state senate is a highly conservative body. He doesn't think SB 45 will pass, and in fact, says he doubts it will get a hearing.
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