a texas law banning most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy went into effect on wednesday, despite the 1973 supreme court decision that established a constitutional right to the procedure, making the state the most restrictive in the nation in terms of access to abortion services.  other states have passed similar laws, but those measures face legal challenges. the texas law is the first to be implemented. on a vote of 5 to 4, the court refused just before midnight on wednesday to block the law.  because of the way the law was written, it may be difficult to challenge in court, representing a sea change in the battle over abortion rights and inviting imitation by other jurisdictions seeking to tamp down access to abortion.  “these laws are unconstitutional, as we have understood supreme court rulings until now, and courts have quickly issued preliminary injunctions blocking enforcement,” said elizabeth nash, state policy analyst for the guttmacher institute, a research organization that supports abortion rights.
answers to questions about the texas abortion law