Senate Bill 8 (sometimes called the Texas Heartbeat Bill) is a new state law that bars physicians from performing abortions after the detection of a "fetal heartbeat." The law went into effect on September 1st, 2021. We break down the details of this new law on our Legal FAQ on the topic, "Are abortions banned in Texas?"

SB 8 has received intensive news coverage nationwide and is currently facing legal challenges in court. Presently, a U.S. District Judge has temporarily blocked the new law while the case proceeds through the federal court, and Texas has indicated that they will appeal at the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Update: The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals granted a stay of the judge's injunction on October 14th. This reinstates the new law while the case is being appealed.

As always, we'll continue to update this FAQ with new developments related to SB 8, so check back in the future and let us know if you have questions.

There are several recent executive orders and regulations on COVID-19 vaccine requirements. Governor Abbott recently issued Executive Order GA-40, which bans any entity in Texas from requiring COVID-19 vaccines. President Biden has also issued several federal executive orders and proposed federal regulations. They require COVID-19 vaccines for certain federal workers, federal contractors, and private employees.

We've heard from patrons who are confused about how these new orders may affect their work situations. To address this, we've created a new COVID-19 Vaccine Laws page with detailed information about the new orders and regulations. You can find it on our COVID-19 & Texas Law guide.

You may also want to review our Legal FAQs on the subject of vaccine requirements in various situations: Can I be required to get a COVID-19 vaccine? and Can I be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a “vaccine passport?”

Still have questions? We're happy to help! You may also want to talk to a lawyer for advice on what the new orders and regulations mean for you.