A University of Texas student group is helping women reach distant abortion clinics after new restrictions have reduced the number of clinics in the state to twelve.

New statewide standards and restrictions for abortion clinics, such as parent consent for minors and counseling and ultrasound before procedures, will result in the closing of most abortion clinics in the state, bringing the total down to a dozen and placing many women in need of a procedure several hours away from their nearest facility.

UT law student Lenzi Sheible began the group Fund Texas Choice over a year ago with the intent of providing women transportation to the clinics and covering their lodging for the 24-hour wait period prior to the procedure.  Fund Texas Choice has received over $60,000 and donations and assisted over 100 women in getting to their nearest clinic by cab, bus, or plane.  The group also plans on hiring their first paid employee at the start of the new year.

According to Fund Texas Choice, with the reduced number of clinics in the state, women in Midland are five hours away from their nearest facility.  Currently, public funds are only used for an abortion in the event of rape, incest, or when the mother's life is in danger, but new Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has expressed a desire to ban abortions nation-wide.

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