Texas Right to Life had an ambitious agenda in the Texas Capitol this year to fully enforce our Pro-Life laws, stop illegal abortions, improve patients’ rights, and build a Pro-Life state.
Free from the shadow of Roe v. Wade, Texas had the opportunity to not be merely anti-abortion, but truly Pro-Life in the 2023 legislative session.
One critical part of building a Pro-Life Texas is to support and promote adoption. There are many families in Texas who want to adopt but cannot bear the financial burden. There was only one bill filed this session addressing adoption, and that bill was brought by freshman Representative Nate Schatzline.
Representative Schatzline (R-Fort Worth) authored House Bill 4138 to establish the Texas Adoption Assistance Program. The goal of this program is to lower adoption costs for families by creating a state grant program that pays for up to half the costs if a church or nonprofit matches it. This reimbursement would be graded based on the family’s income level, meaning lower-income families would be reimbursed to a greater level than higher-income families. This bill would also encourage communities to come alongside families seeking to adopt and break down the often insurmountable hurdle of adoption costs.
Representative Schatzline worked to get this bill as far as possible in the process given his status as a freshman legislator, including filing budget amendments to provide funding should the bill pass. HB 4138 made it onto the House calendar for a floor vote, but not in time to actually receive a vote and pass the House.
Policies like HB 4138 progress toward the goal of building a truly life-affirming society, helping place children with their forever families. Texas Right to Life is proud to name Representative Nate Schatzline the Pro-Life Standout Freshman for the 88th Legislature!
Check out how your state representatives voted on HB 4138 and other Pro-Life issues this session here.
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