Bill > HB66

This bill, known as the Women and Child Safety Act, introduces comprehensive restrictions on abortion and abortion-related activities in Texas. The bill defines abortion as terminating a pregnancy with the knowledge that it will likely cause the death of an unborn child, while explicitly excluding certain medical procedures like fertility treatments and treating ectopic pregnancies. It prohibits manufacturing, possessing, distributing, mailing, transporting, or providing abortion-inducing drugs, and creates extensive civil liability mechanisms allowing private citizens to sue individuals or entities involved in facilitating abortions. The bill establishes strict penalties, including potential felony charges for paying for or reimbursing abortion costs, and requires Internet service providers to block access to websites providing abortion-related information. Furthermore, it adds abortion-related violations to the state's organized crime statutes and creates mechanisms for the Attorney General to prosecute abortion law violations. The bill also includes robust severability provisions designed to ensure that if any part of the law is found unconstitutional, the remaining provisions will remain in effect. Notably, the bill reflects the Texas legislature's interpretation of the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision, asserting that human life begins at fertilization and that there is no constitutional right to abortion, and it aims to create significant legal and financial barriers to accessing abortion services.

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=891&Bill=HB66