EU resident wondering how the US legislative process works. For example the recent Texas abortion law, in the hypothetical situation that the majority of Texans don’t agree with the new law, what recourse do they have? What would the possibilities for repealing this law look like?
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One way laws are overturned, is to have someone get arrested for violating the law, get tried & convicted then have lawyers appeal the conviction on the grounds the law is unconstitutional. The appeals go from state courts to federal courts then to the Supreme Court. It is a long process. Meanwhile, the convicted person is sitting in prison. Not a good system to overturn horrible laws.
Another way is for Congress to pass a law that invalidates the state law. If Congress passed a law saying abortion is legal under all circumstances at anytime, all state laws restricting abortion would be invalidated. The chances of this happening are very slim.
Locally, at the state level, the state legislature could rescind the law. Not likely.
So, the most assured way is the first option.
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