Texas and Florida have asked a federal court to allow them to join an ongoing lawsuit seeking restrictions on the abortion pill mifepristone. The two states argue their involvement is necessary to safeguard their abortion policies following legal changes in other Republican-led states.
The lawsuit, currently led by Missouri, Kansas, and Idaho, challenges the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decisions to ease restrictions on mifepristone. These measures included extending its use from seven to ten weeks of pregnancy, permitting remote prescriptions, and authorizing mail delivery without an in-person clinical visit.
In their filing, Texas and Florida stated that Missouri, Kansas, and Idaho may no longer adequately represent the interests of Republican-led states. Missouri’s abortion regulations were nullified by a state constitutional amendment in 2024, while Idaho’s abortion ban could be overturned in a 2026 referendum. In Kansas, the state Supreme Court recently affirmed a broad constitutional right to abortion, limiting its capacity to challenge mifepristone access.
Texas and Florida emphasized the need to defend their laws against states like New York, which have adopted “shield laws” enabling patients to obtain mail-order mifepristone across state lines.
The case stems from changes made during the Biden administration to loosen FDA rules on mifepristone, though the Trump administration has continued to uphold those regulatory decisions. In 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a bid from anti-abortion groups to restrict access to the drug. Following that ruling, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk permitted Missouri, Kansas, and Idaho to continue pursuing the lawsuit.
The outcome of this case could have broad implications for abortion access nationwide, particularly as legal battles continue over the balance between state-level restrictions and federal regulatory authority.
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