Overview

• The Texas Senate approved HB7 on a 17–8 vote, sending the bill to Gov. Greg Abbott, who is expected to sign it, with the law slated to take effect in December.
• The bill authorizes private suits against those who manufacture, prescribe, transport, or mail abortion pills into Texas, with potential awards up to $100,000.
• Full $100,000 awards are reserved for the patient, the person who impregnated them, or certain relatives, while unrelated plaintiffs could receive $10,000 and the remainder goes to charity.
• Patients who take the pills are not liable, the bill adds privacy protections and bars eligibility for perpetrators of sexual assault, and sponsors say legitimate uses such as miscarriage care are shielded.
• Supporters tout HB7 as an enforcement tool and possible national model, while opponents warn it will chill out‑of‑state telehealth providers and collide with shield laws, a conflict foreshadowed by Texas actions against New York doctor Maggie Carpenter.