All Roll Calls
Yes: 49 • No: 23
TexasHB 789th Legislature 2nd Called SessionHouseWALLET
Relating to prohibitions on the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs, including the jurisdiction of and effect of certain judgments by courts within and outside this state with respect to the manufacture and provision of those drugs, and to protections from certain counteractions under the laws of other states and jurisdictions; authorizing qui tam actions.
Sponsored By: Hillary Hickland, Bryan Hughes (Republican), Jeff Leach, Will Metcalf, Katrina Pierson, Ellen Troxclair
Signed by Governor
AbortionCivil Remedies & LiabilitiesCourts--GeneralHealth Care ProvidersWOMAN & CHILD PROTECTION ACTMEDICINE & PRESCRIPTION DRUGSPHYSICIANSPREGNANCY & CHILDBIRTHFIFTEENTH COURT OF APPEALS
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 4 mixed.
Counter-lawsuit targets can recover large damages
People facing a clawback suit or judgment based wholly or partly on protected conduct can recover damages and court protection. Recovery covers losses, including the judgment amount, defense costs, expenses, reasonable lawyer fees, and costs of bringing the Texas case. An extra award equals the greater of twice the specified damages and expenses or $100,000. Courts also order an end to further covered clawback litigation or enforcement; these remedies cover claims arising on or after the law’s effective date. Chapter 27 dismissal rules do not apply, and the Fifteenth Court of Appeals handles all intermediate appeals and related original proceedings.
Large awards for abortion drug lawsuits
Winning private claimants get court orders preventing further violations, at least $100,000 per violation, plus costs and reasonable lawyer fees. The pregnant woman, or the unborn child’s father, sibling, or grandparent, receives the full per-violation award. Other claimants receive $10,000 per violation; the rest is held in trust for their chosen charity. That money must benefit the charity, which cannot pay the claimant or the claimant’s family. A standing prior order requiring the same defendant to pay for that violation blocks another monetary award, including costs and fees.
Texas limits abortion drugs, exempts women
The law bans making, possessing, prescribing, distributing, mailing, transporting, or providing abortion-inducing drugs in Texas, with listed exceptions. It also covers sending or providing these drugs to or from Texas. It exempts a pregnant woman’s own abortion-related conduct and preserves specified protected speech. Exceptions cover listed health facilities and providers, internet services that only provide access or hosting, and permitted medical uses. These uses include medical emergencies, ectopic pregnancy treatment, removal after miscarriage, and other listed non-abortion purposes; federal immunity also limits the ban.
Women get privacy protections in lawsuits
Claimants and defendants cannot publicly share or improperly obtain covered personal and health information without the person’s consent. These rules protect information about women involved in abortion-drug enforcement cases. A court cannot order the specified pre-lawsuit questioning under oath of a woman accused of involvement unless she consents.
Texas protects participants from counter-lawsuits
The law protects people who bring or assist covered abortion-drug lawsuits from other states’ counter-lawsuits, called clawback actions. Texas law governs listed conduct and cases, including covered clawback claims against Texas residents, unless federal or Texas constitutional law requires otherwise. On request in a qualifying case, courts must order defendants and legally connected parties to stop bringing or continuing covered counter-lawsuits. After a qualifying judgment against a defendant, that defendant and legally connected parties cannot pursue clawback issues raised or available in that case. Texas courts cannot enforce out-of-state clawback judgments unless federal or Texas constitutional law requires it; these rules cover claims arising on or after the law’s effective date.
Drug lawsuit defendants face Texas rules
Texas courts can hear covered drug-enforcement cases and serve defendants outside Texas as far as federal constitutional limits allow. Texas law generally controls; contracts choosing another state’s law or courts are void, subject to federal and Texas constitutional limits. Defendants can prove they lacked awareness and took reasonable precautions, or raise listed constitutional defenses, including limits on out-of-state reach. They must show their defense is more likely true than not; relying on nonbinding rulings or another state’s law generally fails. The court and governing-law rules cover claims arising on or after the law’s effective date. Chapter 27 dismissal rules do not apply, and the Fifteenth Court of Appeals handles all intermediate appeals and related original proceedings.
Private abortion drug lawsuits have limits
Eligible private people can sue over actual or intended drug-ban violations, using an assigned state claim that Texas no longer owns. Only these private lawsuits enforce this ban; officials cannot direct, join, or coordinate them, though independent court briefs remain allowed. Other laws remain enforceable, but these lawsuits cannot be class actions and must be filed within six years after the claim arises. Suits cannot target women for using, obtaining, or seeking the drugs; federal protections and listed transportation and delivery exemptions also apply. People with listed criminal or family-violence findings, or who supplied drugs without consent, cannot sue. Claims against drug manufacturers, distributors, and common carriers require proof they failed to adopt and implement the required handling policy, with medical-use exceptions.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
Hillary Hickland
House
Bryan Hughes
Republican • Senate
Jeff Leach
House
Will Metcalf
House
Katrina Pierson
House
Ellen Troxclair
House
Cosponsors
Daniel Alders
House
Trent Ashby
House
Cecil Bell Jr.
House
Keith Bell
House
Paul Bettencourt
Republican • Senate
Greg Bonnen
House
Brad Buckley
House
Benjamin Bumgarner
House
Briscoe Cain
House
Donna Campbell
Republican • Senate
Giovanni Capriglione
House
David Cook
House
Charles Cunningham
House
Pat Curry
House
Mark Dorazio
House
Paul Dyson
House
James Frank
House
Stan Gerdes
House
Ryan Guillen
House
Brent Hagenbuch
Republican • Senate
Bob Hall
Republican • Senate
Sam Harless
House
Cody Harris
House
Caroline Harris Davila
House
Richard Hayes
House
Cole Hefner
House
Adam Hinojosa
Republican • Senate
Janis Holt
House
Andy Hopper
House
Joan Huffman
Republican • Senate
Lacey Hull
House
Todd Hunter
House
Carrie Isaac
House
Helen Kerwin
House
Phil King
Republican • Senate
Stan Kitzman
House
Lois Kolkhorst
Republican • Senate
Brooks Landgraf
House
Terri Leo Wilson
House
Mitch Little
House
Janie Lopez
House
AJ Louderback
House
John McQueeney
House
Morgan Meyer
House
Mayes Middleton
Republican • Senate
Mike Olcott
House
Tom Oliverson
House
Tan Parker
Republican • Senate
Jared Patterson
House
Dennis Paul
House
Angela Paxton
Republican • Senate
Keresa Richardson
House
Schatzline
Affiliation unavailable
Alan Schoolcraft
House
Charles Schwertner
Republican • Senate
Matt Shaheen
House
Joanne Shofner
House
Shelby Slawson
House
John T. Smithee
House
Kevin Sparks
Republican • Senate
David Spiller
House
Carl H. Tepper
House
Tony Tinderholt
House
Cody Vasut
House
Denise Villalobos
House
Trey Wharton
House
Terry M. Wilson
House
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 9/3/2025
Record vote
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 9/2/2025
Record vote
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 9/2/2025
Record vote
Yes: 17 • No: 9
Senate vote • 9/2/2025
Record vote
Yes: 17 • No: 9
House vote • 8/28/2025
Record vote
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 8/28/2025
Record vote
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 8/28/2025
Record vote
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • Unknown
Committee vote: State Affairs
Yes: 7 • No: 1
House vote • Unknown
Committee vote: Public Education
Yes: 8 • No: 4
Actions Timeline
Effective on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (December 4, 2025)
9/17/2025HouseSigned by the Governor
9/17/2025HouseSent to the Governor
9/4/2025HouseSigned in the Senate
9/3/2025SenateSigned in the House
9/3/2025HouseReported enrolled
9/3/2025HouseSenate passage reported
9/3/2025HouseRecord vote
9/3/2025SenatePassed
9/3/2025SenateRead 3rd time
9/3/2025SenateLaid before the Senate
9/3/2025SenateCo-sponsor authorized
9/3/2025SenateRecord vote
9/2/2025SenateRead 2nd time & passed to 3rd reading
9/2/2025SenateRecord vote
9/2/2025SenateRules suspended-Regular order of business
9/2/2025SenateRecord vote
9/2/2025SenateOrdered not printed
9/2/2025SenateReported favorably w/o amendments
9/2/2025SenateVote taken in committee
9/2/2025SenateConsidered in public hearing
9/2/2025SenateReferred to State Affairs
9/2/2025SenateRead first time
9/2/2025SenateReceived from the House
9/2/2025SenateCo-sponsor authorized
9/2/2025Senate
Bill Text
Engrossed
Enrolled
House Committee Report
Introduced
Related Bills
HB 23, Relating to the exemption from ad valorem taxation of property owned by certain nonprofit corporations, located in a populous county, and used to promote agriculture, support youth, and provide educational support in the community.
SB 5, Relating to making supplemental appropriations for disaster relief and preparedness and giving direction and adjustment authority regarding those appropriations.
HB 8, Relating to public school accountability and transparency, including the implementation of an instructionally supportive assessment program and the adoption and administration of assessment instruments in public schools, indicators of achievement, public school performance ratings, and interventions and sanctions under the public school accountability system, a grant program for school district local accountability plans, and actions challenging Texas Education Agency decisions related to public school accountability.
HB 20, Relating to measures to prevent and reduce fraudulent charitable solicitations and theft during declared disasters, including establishing a designation program for disaster relief nonprofit organizations and financial institutions; creating a criminal offense; increasing a criminal penalty.
HB 16, Relating to the operation and administration of and practices and procedures related to proceedings in the judicial branch of state government, including court security, court documents and arrest warrants, document delivery, juvenile boards, constitutional amendment election challenges, record retention, youth diversion, court-ordered mental health services, the powers of the Texas Supreme Court, jurors, and the special prosecution unit; increasing a criminal penalty; authorizing fees.
HB 25, Relating to a pharmacist's authority to dispense ivermectin without a prescription.