TYLER, Texas — A prayer vigil across the street from Planned Parenthood in Tyler has been ongoing since yesterday.
Gatherers say they are "not protesting," but praying. The oral arguments began this morning for the Mississippi Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court case and organizers say this case has the potential to overturn the historic 1973 Roe v. Wade case.
Melissa Koukla, of the Sanctity of Life Action Committee, says they are praying that "this unjust law be overturned" and that "babies are saved and women are protected."
Koukla says there are other alternatives than abortion in Tyler that provide pre-and-postnatal care, such as Living Alternatives, which has an adoption center.
Planned Parenthood of Tyler does not provide abortions but does provide abortion referrals. Residents of East Texas must travel to Dallas to have abortion services provided within Texas.
Planned Parenthood Federation of America released a statement saying, "Planned Parenthood will continue to do everything we can to provide and protect your access to health care — no matter what."
The nonprofit also says it cannot predict the ruling of this case or the case about Senate Bill 8 in Texas, but wants to encourage community action by taking proactive measures to protect access to abortions.
It is the most restrictive abortion law in the country, banning the procedure at the moment a fetal "heartbeat" can be detected, which is as early as 6 weeks into a pregnancy. Medical experts have said the term "fetal heartbeat" is misleading because embryos don't possess a heart at that point in development.
SB 8 has now been in effect for three months. After one month, abortions in the state fell by half the usual amount, according to a study from the University of Texas at Austin.
SB 8 will ultimately be ruled on by the Supreme Court as well.