Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) is expected to sign legislation soon that will allow private citizens to sue anyone who prescribes, distributes or provides abortion medication to or from Texas.

Supporters and opponents of the bill believe it will serve as a template for other states that want to restrict abortion medication and trigger new legal battles between red states where the pills are banned and blue states where they are protected.

They also believe the bill could limit the availability of abortion medication even in states where it is legal, if distributors and manufacturers stop sending the drugs to the state to avoid legal repercussions.

Senators approved House Bill 7 in a 17-8 vote late Wednesday. Before the vote, the bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Bryan Hughes (R), said the legislation would help protect the unborn and pregnant women from “poisonous, illegal drugs.”

In similar remarks on Tuesday, he also said the bill will hold Big Pharma accountable.

“You manufacture and ship poisonous illegal drugs into Texas, and people are harmed; you will be held accountable,” he said. “We make no apology for that. Texas must defend our citizens, and that’s what this bill is about.”

It’s unclear when Abbott will sign the bill. His office did not respond to a question on his timing.

Here’s what to know about the bill.

Texans........

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