Texas Judge Fines New York Doctor $100,000 for Abortion Pill Prescription

Dr. Margaret Carpenter, a New York physician, was fined $100,000 by a Texas judge for prescribing abortion pills to a patient in Texas, where such practices are heavily restricted. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton cited the case of a 20-year-old woman who experienced complications after taking the drugs, asserting that Carpenter was not licensed to practice in Texas. The ruling highlights a potential conflict between Texas laws, which impose strict penalties on abortion providers, and New York's legal protections for reproductive healthcare. In response, New York Attorney General Letitia James defended Carpenter, stating that New York will protect its physicians from punitive actions taken by other states. Carpenter had also faced indictment in Louisiana for similar charges involving a minor, which raises broader concerns about the jurisdictional reach of state laws on abortion. This case reflects the ongoing national debate surrounding abortion access in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.