Shafkat Anowar/The Dallas Morning News/TNS
Abortion:
-
- Abbott is pro-life and wants to prevent any and all abortions in Texas. Abbott signed into law the Heartbeat Act in 2021, which bans abortions after six weeks including in cases of rape and incest.
LGBTQ rights:
-
- Abbott issued a directive to Texas residents to report parents of transgender minors to authorities for child abuse if there are suspicions that the child is receiving gender-affirming medical care.
Border and Immigration:
-
- Abbott is against illegal immigration and launched Operation Lone Star, a joint mission between the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Military Department along the southern border between Texas and Mexico, in 2021. Abbott has been busing migrants to different cities across the country to show his disapproval of the Biden administration’s immigration policies.
Environment and energy:
-
- Abbott supports the oil and gas industry in Texas. Abbott has not publicly acknowledged climate change and instead uses the term “extreme weather.” Abbott signed Senate Bills 2 and 3, which require the weatherization of energy facilities.
Gun control:
-
- Abbott supports gun rights and believes in the second Amendment. He expanded it by signing the “campus carry” and “open carry” bills into legislation. Abbott is a member of the Texas State Rifle Association and the National Rifle Association.
Marijuana legalization:
-
- Abbott is against the legalization of marijuana and disagrees with Biden’s pardon. But he has previously remarked on lowering the possession to a Class C misdemeanor. A spokesperson for Abbott, Renae Eze, released a statement criticizing Biden.
Health care:
-
- Abbott moved funding from the Health and Human Services Commission to Operation Lone Star and opposed the Affordable Care Act.
