Texas is still feeling the fallout from two controversial sets of restrictions

WAMU 88.5 | By Paige Osburn

Published February 23, 2022 at 12:50 PM CST

An activist, who declined to provide her name, speaks outside the Supreme Court in protest against the Texas abortion law that prohibits the procedure around six weeks into a pregnancy in Washington, DC.

Last year, Texas passed two very different — but very strict — sets of restrictions.

One applied to voting. The other, abortion.

Last September, a set of voting restrictions known as SB-1 was signed after a flood of protests, peaking with state Democrats flying to Washington to break quorum and delay a vote on the bill.

Meanwhile, that same month, a six-week abortion ban known as SB-8 went into effect. The Supreme Court later ruled it would remain in effect even as it wound its way through the court system.

It’s been almost six months since SB-8 was implemented. In that time, Texas clinics have faced chaos, confusion, and a huge backlog as people race to make appointments in the six-week window.

And SB-1 faces its first big test next Tuesday, as Texas goes to the polls to decide on its governor, lieutenant governor, and a slew of other top positions. KUT reports that in light of the new restrictions, Harris County, the most populous in Texas, has had to return nearly 40 percent of all mail-in ballots.

What has the fallout been for these two pieces of controversial legislation? We talk Texas and get some answers.