Texas promises $10 000 for people who enforce the state’s new limit on abortions

Abortion and civil rights campaigners in the US are challenging a law set to take effect in Texas on 1 September that bans abortions after six weeks and rewards anyone who helps to prosecute sucessfully anyone helping a woman to break the law with a reward of $10 000 (£7200; €8560).1

Someone could be sued if they advised a woman seeking an abortion, drove her to a clinic, lent her money for the abortion, or helped provide an abortion, such as a doctor or nurse.

The new law2—known as SB 8 or the “Texas Heartbeat Act” and which would bring down the limit for abortion from the current 20 weeks—is unconstitutional and would lead to lawsuits, …