| Pro-Choice Legislation: |
| HB 1138 Expanding the Women's Health Program |
| Bill Number: |
HB 1138 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Scheduled for public hearing on 4/6/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Eddie Rodriguez |
Companion to SB 575This bill updates language and makes permanent the Women's Health Program, which was previously a demonstration project. It also expands access to preventative health screenings and family planning services under the Program and includes teen mothers on its list of eligible persons.
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| HB 1255 Women's Health Program Renewal |
| Bill Number: |
HB 1255 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Referred to Public Health Committee 3/1/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Strama |
Companion to SB 585This bill is a two-year renewal of the Women’s Health Program demonstration project, which expands access to preventative health and family planning services for women. In addition, the bill prohibits a decrease in the level of programs or services designed to reduce unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted disease rates.
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| HB 1478 Women's Health Program Renewal (2021) |
| Bill Number: |
HB 1478 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Left pending in committee 4/6/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Wooley |
This bill aims to renew the Women's Health Program demonstration project until 2021. Under this program, women are able access preventative health screening and family planning services, including contraceptives.
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| HB 2299 Operation of the Women's Health Program |
| Bill Number: |
HB 2299 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Committee report sent to Local & Consent Calendar |
| Sponsor(s): |
Reps. Coleman and Naishtat |
This bill defines the operation of the Women's Health Program demonstration project and extends the program through 2016.
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| HB 3230 Regulating Crisis Pregnancy Centers |
| Bill Number: |
HB 3230 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Referred to Public Health Committee 3/18/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Reps. Ana Hernandez Luna and Eddie Rodriguez |
This bill would require all non-medically-licensed pregnancy centers, or CPCs, to post signs in English and Spanish about what services they provide. The signs would inform women that these centers do not provide or make referrals for birth control and/or abortion services. This legislation aims to hold CPCs accountable for their deceptive advertising. |
| HB 419 Women's Health Project Automatic Enrollment |
| Bill Number: |
HB 419 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Left Pending in Committee 3/22/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Villarreal |
Companion to SB 325This bill would create a demonstration project through the medical assistance program to expand access to preventive health and family planning services for women, and automatically enroll eligible women for services.
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| SB 1854 Relating to the Women's Health Program |
| Bill Number: |
SB 1854 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
Senate: Not again placed on intent calendar 5/19/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Sen. Deuell |
This bill aims to transform the Women's Health Program from a demonstration project into a long-term initiative. It also further defines "family planning" and adds prenatal care to the list of services covered.
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| SB 325 Women's Health Project Automatic Enrollment |
| Bill Number: |
SB 325 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
Senate: Referred to Health & Human Services Committee 2/2/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Sen. Van de Putte |
Companion to HB 419 This bill would create a demonstration project through the medical assistance program to expand access to preventive health and family planning services for women, and automatically enroll eligible women for services.
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| SB 575 Expanding the Women's Health Program |
| Bill Number: |
SB 575 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
Senate: No action taken in subcommittee 4/28/2011 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Sen. Van de Putte |
Companion to HB 1138This bill updates language and makes permanent the Women's Health Program, which was previously a demonstration project. It also expands access to preventative health screenings and family planning services under the Program and includes teen mothers on its list of eligible persons.
|
| SB 585 Women's Health Program Renewal |
| Bill Number: |
SB 585 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
Senate: No action taken in subcommittee 4/28/2011 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Sen. Watson |
Companion to HB 1255 This bill is a two-year renewal of the Women’s Health Program demonstration project, which expands access to preventative health and family planning services for women. In addition, the bill prohibits a decrease in the level of programs or services designed to reduce unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted disease rates.
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| Anti-Choice Legislation: |
| HB 1078 Appointment of Guardian Ad Litem and Attorney Ad Litem for Minors |
| Bill Number: |
HB 1078 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Committee report sent to Calendars 4/14/2011 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Phil King |
Through this bill, a young woman seeking judicial bypass for parental notification of abortion would be appointed a guardian and an attorney--who may not be the same person--by the court. This would jeopardize the confidentiality, as well as the fairness and impartiality, of the proceedings. Young women would also need to prove that they were sufficiently informed, mature, and at risk for abuse (sexual, emotional, or physical) in order to receive legal bypass. |
| HB 1109 Defining When Life Begins (Bill Burch Act) |
| Bill Number: |
HB 1109 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Referred to State Affairs Committee 2/28/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Reps. Christian, Harper-Brown, and Flynn |
This bill would define the beginning of human life as the moment of the initial splitting of a human cell during fertilization. This redefinition in the Texas health and safety code would confer upon an "unborn human" the same legal rights, protections, and privileges as any other person in the state.
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| HB 15 Mandatory Sonograms and Penalties |
| Bill Number: |
HB 15 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
Signed by the Governor 5/19/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Sid Miller |
This mandatory ultrasound bill provides additional penalties to doctors who fail to show and describe a sonogram to a pregnant woman and/or fail to obtain a consent form signed by a woman seeking an abortion. It also specifies the time window--between 24 and 72 hours before the procedure--when a sonogram must be performed, undermining women's ability to access the medical care that is their legal right.
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| HB 1602 Abortion Reporting Requirements |
| Bill Number: |
HB 1602 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Left pending in committee 3/24/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Reps. Zelder, White, Kolkhorst, and Morrison |
This bill requires physicians to report personal and demographic information about every woman who undergoes an abortion procedure. The legislation would also create criminal penalties--jail time and/or fines up to $4,000--for physicians who knowingly perform abortions on women who have been coerced to seek them. This is despite no evidence of "coerced abortion" as a widespread problem. |
| HB 201 Misinformed Consent |
| Bill Number: |
HB 201 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Left pending in committee 2/23/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Morrison |
Companion to HB 580 and SB 16This bill would require physicians, before performing an abortion, to provide the pregnant woman with medically inaccurate information involving the risks of abortion, show her an ultrasound image (at which point she would be legally permitted to "avert her eyes"), and play her an audio recording of the fetal heart auscultation while simultaneously describing it out loud.
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| HB 238 State Funding For Anti-Choice License Plates and Organizations |
| Bill Number: |
HB 238 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Laid on the table subject to call 5/3/2011 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Phillips |
Companion to SB 257This bill would create a "Choose Life" license plate and a "Choose Life account in the General Revenue Fund. Money from the fund would be used to support Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) and similar organzations that deny women accurate information about abortion.
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| HB 2555 Regulating Abortion Procedures |
| Bill Number: |
HB 2555 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Scheduled for public hearing on 4/20/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Brown |
This legislation aims to limit women's access to abortion in several ways; it would eliminate judicial bypass for unemancipated minors, except in cases of medical emergency, and require doctors to record and report details of abortion procedures on minors.
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| HB 2573 Reporting Suspected Abuse or Neglect |
| Bill Number: |
HB 2573 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Scheduled for public hearing on 4/19/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Bonnen |
This bill would require any physician or clinic staff member who suspects abuse or neglect of a minor under 14 to obtain aborted fetal tissue and submit samples to the state for evidence.
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| HB 2828 Preventing |
| Bill Number: |
HB 2828 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Placed on General State Calendar 5/12/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Callegari |
Companion to SB 1183 This bill attempts to prevent "coerced abortions" by requiring every woman seeking an abortion to certify in writing her "voluntary and informed consent." Women who indicate that they have been coerced must be referred to domestic violence assistance programs that do not provide abortion services or affiliate with abortion providers. This is despite no evidence of "coerced abortion" as a widespread problem.
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| HB 2988 Prohibiting Abortion Except When Medically Necessary |
| Bill Number: |
HB 2988 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Referred to State Affairs Committee 3/17/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Parker |
This bill would eliminate women's access to abortion except in situations deemed medically necessary to prevent severe impairment or death. The legislation would detrimentally limit a woman's ability to make appropriate medical decisions for herself and her family.
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| HB 3112 No Insurance Coverage for Abortion |
| Bill Number: |
HB 3112 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Referred to State Affairs Committee 3/18/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Laubenberg |
This bill would prohibit coverage of abortion services by insurance plans offered on the Texas health benefit exchange except in cases of rape, incest, or medical emergency.
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| HB 325 Misinformed Consent (Smith) |
| Bill Number: |
HB 325 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Referred to State Affairs Committee 2/15/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Todd Smith |
This bill would impose a manipulative and unnecessary mandatory ultrasound policy, and also codify the beliefs that "all abortions, whether surgically or chemically induced, terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being," and "the existing standard of care for screening and counseling before an abortion is not adequate to protect the health needs of women."
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| HB 3408 Relating to Abortion-Inducing Drugs |
| Bill Number: |
HB 3408 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Referred to Public Health Committee 3/18/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Laubenberg |
Companion to SB 1790This bill defines abortion-inducing drugs and determines how and when they may be administered by licensed physicians. It attempts to define the nature of the doctor-patient relationship both before drug-induced abortion procedures and during follow-up.
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| HB 3446 Relating to Minimum Standards for Abortion Facilities |
| Bill Number: |
HB 3446 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Referred to Public Health Committee 3/18/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Paxton |
This bill aims to establish minimum standards for abortion facilities with regards to plumbing, heating, lighting, ventilation, and other design features. The legislation, rather than protecting women seeking abortion procedures, is an attempt to push providers out of service by making them non-compliant.
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| HB 552 No Exchange Coverage for Abortion |
| Bill Number: |
HB 552 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Left Pending in Committee 3/24/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Phillips |
This bill would prohibit coverage for abortion under health benefit plans offered through a health benefit exchange.
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| HB 561 Limiting Hospital Districts' Abortion Funding |
| Bill Number: |
HB 561 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Committee report sent to Calendars 5/4/2011 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Christian |
See this bill's companion proposed constitutional amendment HJR 55 here. This bill would forbid hospital districts created under general or special law from using any tax revenue to finance the performance of an abortion.
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| HB 580 Misinformed Consent (Hancock) |
| Bill Number: |
HB 580 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Referred to State Affairs Committee 2/18/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Hancock |
Companion to HB 201 and SB 16This bill would interfere with the physician-patient relationship and require a physician to show show a woman seeking an abortion an ultrasound image of the fetus while simultaneously describing it out loud, as well as require the physician to play an audio recording of the fetal heart auscultation.
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| HB 636 Relating to creation of the Texas Health Insurance Connector |
| Bill Number: |
HB 636 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Left Pending in Committee 3/1/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Zerwas |
The Texas Health Insurance Connector, created under the Patient Protection and Affordability Act, would prohibit qualified health plans from covering abortion. This would be the case even for private policies paid for with NO tax dollars.
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| HB 779 No Insurance Coverage for Abortion |
| Bill Number: |
HB 779 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Referred to State Affairs Committee 2/23/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Phil King |
This "Stupak for Texas" bill would prevent any state or local tax revenue from supporting an "elective abortion" or related services. The bill defines an "elective abortion" as one not medically necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman.
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| HB 797 Further Restricting the Rights of Pregnant Minors |
| Bill Number: |
HB 797 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Scheduled for public hearing on 4/20/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Phil King |
Companion to SB 230This bill would require a pregnant teen seeking judicial bypass to obtain an abortion to file the application in her home county if that county has more than 50,000 residents.
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| HB 816 No Health Coverage for Abortion |
| Bill Number: |
HB 816 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Considered in Calendars 5/3/2011 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Reps. Hunter & Callegari |
Companion to SB 404This bill prohibits health plans offered through benefit exchanges from offering abortion coverage, except when the life of the pregnant woman is at risk. This bill does not prohibit women from purchasing supplemental abortion coverage.
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| HB 85 No Funding For Abortion |
| Bill Number: |
HB 85 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Referred to State Affairs Committee 2/9/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Simpson |
The state, or a governmental entity in the state, may not provide support to a person or facility that performs abortions or provides abortion-related services.
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| HCR 25 Attacking Confidentiality for Minors |
| Bill Number: |
HCR 25 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Referred to Public Health Committee 3/3/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Todd Smith |
This non-binding resolution would urge Congress to remove confidentiality mandates for minors from family planning services programs. This would require clinics to notify parents of minors seeking birth control.
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| HJR 132 Constitutional Amendment: Right to Life Beginning at Conception |
| Bill Number: |
HJR 132 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Referred to State Affairs Committee 3/23/2011 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Landtroop |
This proposed amendment would update the Texas constitution to define the beginning of life at fertilization--thereby conferring all protections guaranteed to those residing in Texas on the “unborn.”
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| HJR 22 Constitutional Amendment Banning State Support for Abortion |
| Bill Number: |
HJR 22 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Left pending in committee 3/24/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Simpson |
This resolution aims to amend the Texas Constitution to prohibit the state or any state entity from supporting people and facilities that provide abortion or related services.
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| HJR 55 Constitutional Amendment Prohibiting Tax Revenue for Abortions |
| Bill Number: |
HJR 55 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: No action taken in committee 3/24/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Rep. Christian |
Companion to HB 516This proposed constitutional amendment would ban hospital districts (including hospitals, community clinics, and school-based clinics) from using tax revenues to finance abortion services.
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| SB 1183 Preventing "Coerced Abortions" |
| Bill Number: |
SB 1183 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
Senate: Referred to State Affairs Committee 3/16/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Sen. Williams |
Companion to HB 2828This bill attempts to prevent "coerced abortions" by requiring every woman seeking an abortion to certify in writing her "voluntary and informed consent." Women who indicate that they have been coerced must be referred to domestic violence assistance programs that do not provide abortion services or affiliate with abortion providers. This is despite no evidence of "coerced abortion" as a widespread problem.
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| SB 16 (formerly SB 130) Misinformed Consent |
| Bill Number: |
SB 16 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
House: Referred to State Affairs Committee 4/29/2011 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Sen. Dan Patrick |
Companion to HB 201 and HB 580This bill would require physicians, before performing an abortion, to provide the pregnant woman with medically inaccurate information involving the risks of abortion, show her an ultrasound image (at which point she will be legally permitted to "avert her eyes"), and play her an audio recording of the fetal heart auscultation while simultaneously describing it out loud.
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| SB 1790 Relating to Abortion-Inducing Drugs |
| Bill Number: |
SB 1790 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
Senate: Not again placed on intent calendar 5/19/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Sen. Patrick |
Companion to HB 3408This bill defines abortion-inducing drugs and determines how and when they may be administered by licensed physicians. It attempts to define the nature of the doctor-patient relationship both before drug-induced abortion procedures and during follow-up.
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| SB 230 Further Restricting the Rights of Pregnant Minors |
| Bill Number: |
SB 230 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
Senate: Referred to State Affairs Committee 1/31/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Sens. Nelson and Shapiro |
Companion to HB 797This bill would require a pregnant teen, who is seeking judicial bypass to obtain an abortion, to file the application in her home county if it has more than 50,000 residents.
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| SB 257 State Funding For Anti-Choice License Plates and Organizations |
| Bill Number: |
SB 257 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
Signed by the Governor 5/17/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Sen. Carona |
Companion to HB 238This bill would create a "Choose Life" license plate and a "Choose Life account in the General Revenue Fund. Money from the fund would be used to support Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) and similar organzations that deny women accurate information about abortion.
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| SB 404 No Health Coverage for Abortion |
| Bill Number: |
SB 404 [ view bill ] |
| Status: |
Senate: Referred to State Affairs Committee 2/2/11 |
| Sponsor(s): |
Sen. Hegar |
Companion to HB 816This bill prohibits health plans offered through benefit exchanges from offering abortion coverage, except when the life of the pregnant woman is at risk. This bill does not prohibit women from purchasing supplemental abortion coverage.
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