A bill that would effectively ban most abortions in Texas by outlawing the procedure once a fetal heartbeat can be detected received final approval from state lawmakers on Thursday and is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. He has said he will sign it into law.
The proposal is a priority for Republican lawmakers, and it sailed to passage despite intense opposition from many Democrats. It is widely considered among the most restrictive abortion measures ever proposed in Texas.
"The Texas Legislature PASSES the heartbeat bill," Abbott wrote Thursday on Twitter. "It's now on its way to my desk for signing."