Texas Attorney General Takes Action Against New York Clerk Over Abortion Laws

AUSTIN (Nexstar) – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has intensified the ongoing conflict surrounding abortion legislation between Texas and New York.

On Monday, Paxton revealed that he had initiated legal proceedings against Ulster County Clerk Taylor Brook for not enforcing a $100,000 penalty against Dr. Margaret Carpenter. In February, a Texas District Court ruled in Paxton’s favor regarding Carpenter’s failure to respond to complaints. However, Brook has declined to implement the ruling against residents of Ulster County.

“Under the New York State Shield Act, I will reject this application and any similar ones that might come our way. This decision could prompt further legal challenges, so I’ll hold off on discussing specific details,” Brook stated.

Paxton remarked, “Dr. Carpenter is a radical abortionist who needs to face justice. There’s no legal shield from the Liberal Party in New York for those who send drugs to terminate pregnancies in Texas. They’ll face the full force of our state laws protecting life.”

New York vs Texas

In 2023, New York enacted the “Shield Act,” which aims to safeguard healthcare providers involved in gender-affirming and reproductive care.

“The Shield Act broadly blocks law enforcement and other state officials from cooperating with inquiries into reproductive or gender-affirming healthcare as long as the services are legally provided in New York,” according to the New York Attorney General’s Office.

According to a court filing, Carpenter is a New York resident offering services in Texas and does not operate a regular business within Texas.

Brook expressed curiosity about the broader implications of these laws during a phone conversation, stating, “There are still many unknowns in this whole process. I’m keen to see how it all unfolds.”

Earlier this month, Brook released a statement following Paxton’s renewed attempts to enforce the court ruling.

“I initially received your letter regarding Margaret Carpenter’s judgment, which was submitted on March 17th, 2025. The refusal remains unchanged. Resending the same request will not alter the results,” Brook wrote on July 14.

The Texas Attorney General’s Office was contacted via email for further comments.

New Abortion Proposals in Special Sessions

On July 9th, Texas Governor Greg Abbott added legislation aimed at protecting unborn children to the agenda of a special session focused on anti-abortion laws.

As of Monday, eight anti-abortion bills have been introduced in the Texas legislature.

• House Bill 37 by State Representative Jared Patterson seeks to further enforce restrictions on abortion.
• House Bill 65 and House Bill 66 allow parents of a deceased fetus to sue abortion medication providers.
• House Bill 58 aims to establish a special prosecutor to enforce abortion regulations along with laws on human trafficking.
• House Bill 69 would require doctors to be physically present for prescribing abortion-inducing medications.
• House Bill 70 prohibits the transportation or financing of minors seeking abortions.
• House Bill 95 seeks to block the online sale of abortion-inducing drugs.
• House Bill 163 would confer certain legal rights to unborn children in felony cases.

None of these bills have yet appeared before a committee.