Texas Family Project Testifies In Texas Senate

This week, Texas Family Project traveled to the state capitol to stand alongside Senator Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) in support of Senate Bill 6 (SB 6), otherwise known as the Woman and Child Protection Act. This legislation is vital for safeguarding Texas families against the proliferation of unregulated, mail-order abortion pills, circumventing medical oversight and current Texas law. These dangerous pills threaten both the unborn baby and their mothers who take them.

The Urgent Need for SB 6

Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, abortion pills have become the most utilized method of abortion in America. Telehealth services and “shield laws” in blue states now enable abortionists to ship the abortion pill directly to women in Texas, despite our laws against them. A recent study estimated nearly 100,000 pill packages were delivered to residents in states like Texas in recent years where mailing these medications is prohibited.

Texas has already taken legal action against states who are skirting around our laws. In December 2024, Attorney General Ken Paxton sued a New York doctor accused of prescribing and mailing abortion drugs to Texas patients. However, New York’s shield law prevented the enforcement of the court’s ruling. This ongoing legal stalemate underscores the necessity for stronger tools like those proposed in SB 6.

What SB 6 Accomplishes

This crucial pro-life bill aims to plug legal loopholes exploited by out-of-state abortion providers. SB 6 would:

• Empower private citizens to sue manufacturers, distributors, or prescribers of abortion-inducing medications who send them into Texas.

• Authorize the Attorney General to pursue civil enforcement.

Senator Hughes explained the importance of this approach and detailed how it helps Texans fight back where criminal avenues fall short. In his layout of the bill, he stated, “Let the word go out, if you are making these pills and sending them to Texas to kill little unborn babies, you’re gonna be held accountable.”

Protecting Texas Women and Preborn Children

From Texas Family Project’s standpoint, SB 6 is an essential shield for Texas families. The shift toward mail-order abortions has endangered millions of women and their babies. Critical medical safeguards, including medical exams, prescriptions, necessary follow-up care, and physician oversight are all missing when these pills are prescribed online, resulting in the deaths of mothers in addition to their preborn babies.

The Stakes: Confronting Legal Barriers and Shield Laws

While SB 6 offers a powerful mechanism for deterrence, it must overcome significant obstacles. Shield laws in states like New York have already blocked Texas’ enforcement actions. 

A few recent high-profile lawsuits further underline the urgency to pass SB 6:

• A wrongful-death lawsuit alleges a Texas woman was given abortion pills without her consent, which resulted in a miscarriage. The case against the pill provider was filed under the federal Comstock Act, a revived legal tool in Texas's arsenal.

• Another case names a California provider in a similar suit for sending abortion pills to two women in Galveston County. 

  
  

SB 6 would bolster the legal and moral authority to challenge these harmful practices effectively and proactively. The Texas Senate passed SB 6 earlier this week, but due to the lack of quorum in the Texas House, the measure did not pass. A second special session began today, which means Texans will again have the chance to speak up for life in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for updates!