The 89th Texas Legislature had several Pro-Life heroes whose efforts made numerous victories for Life possible. This session, lawmakers helped build a Pro-Life culture but ignored the most significant threat of abortion pills. Nonetheless, these dedicated and Life-loving legislators helped to bring about the many successes that the Pro-Life cause saw.
Representative Jeff Leach (R–Allen) carried the House version of Senate Bill 2880, the Woman and Child Protection Act. He fought valiantly for the bill, defending it in committee against terrible anti-Life attacks late into the night. The bill ultimately failed due to an extremely delayed vote in the House Committee on State Affairs. Because of this delay, the bill had no time to make it to the Calendars Committee. However, Representative Leach and his staff put in constant effort and care, asking the committee to pass the bill.
Senator Donna Campbell, M.D. (R–New Braunfels) carried Senate Bill 33, the Stop Tax-Funded Abortion Travel Act. For a long time, she has been passionate and knowledgeable about the issue of cities paying for abortion. In 2019, Senator Campbell carried the bill’s predecessor, Senate Bill 22 (86 R). Senate Bill 22 of the 86th Legislature prohibited cities from giving money to abortion providers. It was passed in response to the city of Austin leasing a city-owned building to Planned Parenthood. She successfully passed that bill six years ago and completed the mission in 2025.
Representative Candy Noble (R–Lucas) carried Senate Bill 33 in the House through to its final passage. She also carried SB 22 in the House in 2019 working alongside Senator Campbell. Representative Noble defended the bill in committee, against many outspoken anti-Life activists. Not easily fazed, Representative Noble stuck to her guns and eloquently defended her bill, alongside many Pro-Life Texans who showed up to support it.
Story continues below.
Don’t miss important Pro-Life stories like this.
>> Get the Pro-Life Weekly Highlight just once a week:
Senator Kelly Hancock (R–North Richland Hills) filed Senate Bill 1233, one of Texas Right to Life’s most important recommended pieces of legislation. This bill will require that doctors diagnosing a preborn child with a severe, life-threatening condition provide the child’s mother and family information on perinatal palliative care. Senator Hancock led the bill to bipartisan passage in the upper chamber, demonstrating that this is not just a Pro-Life issue.
Representative Valoree Swanson (R–Swanson) carried Senate Bill 1233 in the House and led it to its final passage. She and her staff dedicated significant time, care, and effort to the bill, facing some additional challenges in the House. By the time SB 1233 reached the House, it was being described as a Pro-Life bill, turning many anti-Life Democrats against it. Representative Swanson defended SB 1233 on the House floor, standing firm against attacks from the Left and three weakening amendments.
Representative Tom Oliverson, M.D. (R–Cypress) was instrumental in increasing the funding for the Thriving Texas Families (TTF) program. He filed the initial amendment to increase the program’s funding from the Senate’s initial funding level. The TTF program has never been popular with the Democrats, and they made that clear with their berating questions against Representative Oliverson on the House floor. He has long been instrumental in reminding his peers that the Pro-Life fight is far from over. While some lawmakers would rather leave this issue behind, Representative Oliverson’s dedication has not subsided.
We cannot pass any Pro-Life laws that save preborn babies by ourselves. It takes passionate and hardworking elected officials. Heroes for Life, like these senators and representatives, have allowed us to save thousands of lives while building and reinforcing a positive, Pro-Life culture.
View more on the Pro-Life Scorecard.
Thank you for reading this story! If you support our Pro-Life ministry, chip in with a life-saving contribution today!
