As soon as it went into effect on September 1, Senate Bill 8 became the most restrictive abortion law in the U.S., challenging the strength of Roe v. Wade and once again making Texas the focal point in a decades-long battle over reproductive rights.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defended the law Wednesday, saying banning abortions is not interfering with local commerce, as women are being forced to travel out-of-state for the procedure. But Ray Perryman, president of Waco-based economic research firm The Perryman Group, says the controversial legislation could pose limits to the state's economic prospects and negatively impact future economic growth potential in the state.