Changes

'''Texas Senate Bill 8''', informally and unofficially known as the '''Texas Heartbeat Act''', is a legislative bill passed by the Texas Legislature during its regular session in 2021.  It became the 14th state to pass the [[Heartbeat Bill]].

'''Texas Senate Bill 8''', informally and unofficially known as the '''Texas Heartbeat Act''', is a legislative bill passed by the Texas Legislature during its regular session in 2021.  It became the 14th state to pass the [[Heartbeat Bill]]. The principal author of the legislation in the [[Republican Party|Republican]] state Representative [[Briscoe Cain]] of [[suburb]]an [[Houston, Texas|Houston]].

The Act, which took official effect on September 1 (the start of the state's fiscal year, when all new legislation formally takes effect in most cases), would prevent [[abortion]]s once a fetal heartbeat is detected (generally, within six weeks after pregnancy) except in cases of medical emergency.

The Act, which took official effect on September 1 (the start of the state's fiscal year, when all new legislation formally takes effect in most cases), would prevent [[abortion]]s once a fetal heartbeat is detected (generally, within six weeks after pregnancy) except in cases of medical emergency.