A particularly evil part of the new abortion law in Texas is that it allows anyone to sue anyone who “knowingly” assists in an abortion after the detection of a heartbeat–including the medical provider, third parties paying for the procedure, or even a family member driving the patient out of state to a clinic for the procedure. Under the vague wording of the law, transport could be particularly vulnerable, such as airlines or ride shares.
Plaintiffs do not have to have any involvement in the abortion beyond knowing that it happened or would have happened without their involvement, and can be awarded $10,000 in “damages.” A $10K bounty on pregnant bodies, to be paid by the people trying to help them under the threat of state action.
President Biden responded to the new law in Texas, saying it “blatantly violates” Roe V. Wade, but the Supreme Court declined to hear a case opposing it.
On Friday, shortly after the announcement of the passing of the law, both Lyft and Uber announced they would be paying any legal fees incurred by their drivers under this new law.
Drivers are never responsible for monitoring where their riders go or why. Imagine being a driver and not knowing if you are breaking the law by giving someone a ride,” Lyft said in a statement announcing the policy.
Similarly, riders never have to justify, or even share, where they are going and why. Imagine being a pregnant woman* trying to get to a healthcare appointment and not knowing if your driver will cancel on you for fear of breaking a law. Both are completely unacceptable,” Lyft added.
Lyft CEO Logan Green tweeted that the entire law is “an attack on women’s* access to healthcare and on their right to choose.”
To stand by that, Lyft went further and has pledged to donate $1 million to Planned Parenthood, the constant scapegoat in the anti-choice fight.
* Not only women can become pregnant.
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