Legislation establishing new civil penalties for the production and distribution of chemical abortion pills is one step closer to becoming state law after the Texas House passed House Bill 7 on Thursday evening.
The measure, known as the Texas Woman and Child Protection Act, was carried by State Rep. Jeff Leach (R-Plano) and passed on third reading by a vote of 82-48. The bill cleared second reading earlier in the week with a slightly wider margin of 84-46 following more than two hours of debate.
House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) cast a rare vote in favor of the measure. Speakers traditionally register “present not voting,” but Burrows’ support signaled the priority status given to the legislation by House leadership.
From Committee to the Floor
HB 7 was favorably reported out of the House State Affairs Committee on Monday after extensive behind-the-scenes negotiations between lawmakers, pro-life advocates, and other stakeholders. Early drafts of the legislation faced criticism for creating what opponents called a “bounty hunter” system, with damages of up to $100,000 available to any individual who filed a civil suit.
The committee substitute that ultimately advanced to the floor scaled back and restructured those provisions. Under the revised version, individuals directly related to the woman or the preborn child may collect the full $100,000 in damages. Those without direct relation may recover $10,000, with the remainder directed to charity.
Eligibility to file lawsuits was also narrowed. In addition to barring those convicted of domestic violence, the new version prohibits individuals with convictions for sexual assault, stalking, or coercion of a woman from initiating a claim.
Divided Debate
On the floor Thursday, debate remained sharply divided.
Rep. David Lowe (R-North Richland Hills), while not siding with Democrats, said he could not support HB 7, criticizing pro-life groups for backing the measure after killing a stricter abortion ban he supported during the regular session.
Rep. Donna Howard (D-Austin) denounced the bill as deceptive and dangerous, saying her office had been inundated with requests to oppose the measure.
“Texans know they are being lied to,” Howard said. “HB 7 will do nothing to protect women and could even lead to more pregnant women dying because they couldn't access lifesaving medications.”
Other Democrats echoed similar concerns, framing the legislation as harmful to women’s health and an unnecessary extension of Texas’ post-Dobbs abortion restrictions.
Leach’s Defense
Leach defended his bill as a carefully constructed measure designed to close loopholes in Texas law.
“Thanks to the Texas Heartbeat Act, the trigger law, and the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs, the legal operations of the abortion industry in Texas have all but been shut down,” Leach said. “But the abortion industry has not gone away. It has shifted tactics to online distribution of abortion pills.”
According to Leach, an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 abortion pills are mailed into Texas each year despite their prohibition under state law.
“These pills not only terminate the life of the unborn child, they also wreak havoc on the woman’s body,” Leach argued. “They are deadly. They are dangerous. HB 7 targets this activity directly.”
What’s Next
No amendments beyond the committee substitute were adopted Thursday, following an agreement to expedite debate. Lawmakers spent about two hours on HB 7 after spending over five hours on another contentious bill restricting access to publicly funded spaces based on biological sex.
With House passage secured, HB 7 now heads to the Senate. Lawmakers in the upper chamber may approve the committee substitute as written or negotiate changes in a conference committee before sending the measure to Gov. Greg Abbott, who has strongly supported abortion restrictions.
