reproductive justice
When Lives and Liberty Collide: Understanding Reproductive Rights in Texas
REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE: MORE THAN JUST ABORTION
At Wake Up Texas, we believe reproductive justice is about much more than access to abortion. It’s about the human right to make decisions about whether and when to have children—and the ability to raise those children in a safe, supportive environment.
REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE MEANS:
The right to have children when you choose.
The right not to have children, with access to the full range of reproductive health care.
The right to raise children in safe communities, where they have a real chance to thrive.
That vision includes quality health care, strong public education, clean air and water, safe neighborhoods, and policies that support families instead of holding them back. Reproductive justice connects personal freedom with community responsibility. It recognizes that real choice only exists when people have the resources, safety, and opportunity to shape their own futures.
A SHORT HISTORY OF ABORTION IN TEXAS – AND WHAT’S AT STAKE
Texas began criminalizing women and their doctors in the 1800’s. By the mid-20 thcentury, Articles 1191-1196 of the Penal Code made abortion a felony punishable by… Read more on Substack.
WHAT’S IN THE BILLs?
Senate Bill 31 (SB 31): Clarifies “Life Threatening Medical Emergency”
After Texas enacted its near-total abortion ban, medical experts warned that the harsh penalties—including loss of license and even life in prison—would create a chilling effect on care. They were right. In the years that followed, several women died when doctors delayed or denied treatment for complicated pregnancies. A ProPublica Texas investigation found that sepsis cases among pregnant women rose by more than 50%. At the same time, Amanda Zurawski and other women who nearly died after being denied medically necessary abortions brought Zurawski v. Texas, arguing that the state’s abortion ban placed their lives and health at risk. They were not suing for monetary damages, but for the right to receive emergency abortion care when medically indicated. The Texas Supreme Court ultimately ruled against them, leaving no clear legal protection for doctors or patients.
In the wake of that ruling, advocates pressed the Texas Medical Board to act. But the Board could not change the law—it could only issue narrow guidance, such as reminding physicians how to document patient charts. That left the Legislature as the only body with authority to clarify the law. Senate Bill 31, the Life of the Mother Act by Hughes, was the product of that pressure. The bill did one thing only: it clarified that doctors should terminate a pregnancy if a woman’s life is at risk or if she faces the risk of permanent bodily injury. The emphasis on the word risk was crucial, giving doctors clearer authority to act before a patient is at the brink of death. The measure was heavily negotiated, and any attempt to expand abortion access further would have triggered fierce opposition from pro-life groups and doomed the bill.
View Bill: 89(R) SB 31 - Enrolled version
DOES THE LIFE OF THE MOTHER ACT PROVIDE CLARITY OR CONFUSION?
This past session, the Texas Legislature passed a new law they’re calling the Life of the Mother Act—Senate Bill 31. At first glance, that might sound reassuring. After all the horror stories we’ve heard—pregnant Texans denied care…Read more on Substack
Testimonies Supporting SB 31 and HB 44
Senate Bill 33 (SB 33): Bans Texas government entities from abortion assistance.
Senate Bill 33 (SB 33) by Campbell prohibits any government entity from financial and logistical support to an abortion assistance entity. Texas now bans states or local funds going to any group that provides abortions or helps women access abortions even if they also offer cancer screening, contraception or basic healthcare.
View bill: 89(R) SB 33 - Enrolled version
WHO CAN THE GOVERNMENT HELP?
When you think of public servicesWhen you think of public services—your city council, your public university, your local health department—you probably expect them to help people in need. But under a new Texas law, helping someone access abortion care—even in another state—can now get your city, school, or nonprofit partner sued. Read more on Substack
House Bill 7 (HB 7): Bans the manufacture and distribution of abortion-inducing drugs and creates bounty hunter provisions.
House Bill 7 (HB 7) didn’t appear out of thin air—it’s the third version of the same idea. First came SB 2880 in the regular session, which created civil and criminal penalties for abortion pills, allowed $100,000 private lawsuits, and stripped away free speech (anti-SLAPP) and religious freedom (TRFRA) defenses. It passed the Senate but stalled in the House. Then came SB 6 in the first special session, a repackaged bill that kept the lawsuits and eliminated protections. It died when Democrats broke quorum. Finally, HB 7 emerged in the second special session. The introduced version was harsh, allowing any person to sue and collect $100,000 with no religious freedom or frivolous lawsuit protections. It was so extreme that even some pro-life groups opposed it. To secure passage, Rep. Jeff Leach amended the bill: TRFRA protections were restored, but lawsuit payouts were split so only family members or the woman herself could collect the full $100,000, while everyone else would direct $90,000 to a nonprofit of their choice. With that change, pro-life groups stand to benefit financially from the lawsuits.
View SB 2880: 89(R) SB 2880 - Engrossed version
How Texas Turned Abortion Pills Into a $100,000 Bounty Hunt
From January 14, 2025 until sine die on September 4, 2025, Texas lawmakers played legislative ping-pong with some of the harshest abortion-related lawsuit bills in the country. First came SB 2880, then SB 6, and finally HB 7. Each version shifted a little, but the end result is the same: a law that pits Texans against Texans…Read more on Substack
In his layout, Senator Hughes references a study by conservative Ethics and Public Policy Center claiming abortion pills are far riskier than FDA data shows. Medical experts have criticized the study for lack of transparency and overstating risks, noting decades of evidence confirm mifepristone is safe and effective.