The Regular Session of the 88th Legislature marked the first opportunity for Texas lawmakers to pass Pro-Life bills after the historic overturning of Roe v. Wade. However, the Texas Legislature neglected preborn children, yet improved protections for vulnerable patients.
No bills passed to stop illegal abortions or fully enforce our Pro-Life laws. The Legislature underfunded pregnancy centers and adoption agencies but provided new help for pregnant and parenting college students. This session’s most notable victory was a reform to protect patients facing the anti-Life 10-Day Rule in the Texas Advance Directives Act.
While this is a summary of the session, the Pro-Life Scorecard evaluates each individual member of the Legislature. The Pro-Life Scorecard is the most reliable tool for Texans who want the truth about who leads, who follows, and who is subverting Pro-Life legislative efforts under the Capitol dome. The Scorecard evaluates each member’s votes, co-authorships of key bills, and other Pro-Life or anti-Life efforts, leading to a final score for the session.
Texas Right to Life entered the session with the most robust set of Pro-Life Priority Bills we’ve ever had. We had ten Priority Bills for each chamber falling within three priority areas – fully enforcing our Pro-Life laws and stopping illegal abortion drugs, building a Pro-Life Texas, and defending Pro-Life values in healthcare. Throughout the 140-day session, we repeatedly petition lawmakers to co-author Pro-Life Priorities, adding the weight of their support to pushing these bills through the process. When Pro-Life Priorities receive a House or Senate floor vote, we alert elected officials in advance of the fact that the vote could be scored on this Scorecard.
The Texas Right to Life Legislative Team actively monitors and analyzes resolutions, legislation, and amendments that impact the Pro-Life movement and initiatives from our active presence inside the Capitol.
The Scorecard rewards those members who authored or spoke in support of Pro-Life bills and amendments, and penalizes those members who authored or spoke against Life.
Check if YOUR elected official voted Pro-Life here. If you are unsure who represents you, find out here. Stay tuned for more analysis and breakdown of the Pro-Life Scorecards over the next few weeks.
