Texas Senate approves law allowing lawsuits against those who prescribe or distribute abortion pills

Texas on Wednesday passed HB 7, which will allow any citizen to sue anyone who prescribes, mails or distributes abortion pills to Texans, even if those providers are located outside state borders. If Justice rules in their favor, plaintiffs could obtain a minimum of $100,000 in damages.

The bill passed by 17 votes to 8 in the Texas Senate and now awaits only the signature of the governor, Greg Abbott.

Republican Senator Bryan Hugues, who pushed the bill, stated on X that this law is meant to ensure that big pharma does not send "poisonous pills" to Texas just to pad their profits at the expense of life.

"This bill is about protecting the little baby growing inside her mother’s womb. This bill is about protecting moms who have been victimized and lied to," the Republican senator added.

Democrats oppose pro-life bill

The move is expected to potentially trigger legal battles over whether the Lone Star state can enforce its laws beyond its state borders, especially against providers protected by blue states laws.

State Sen. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, spoke out against the bill, raising concerns beyond abortion restrictions.

"This bill only works if we turn Texans against each other. Imagine living in fear of the man standing behind you at the pharmacy ... Every word, every prescription, every private conversation could be twisted into evidence," the senator said.

A law against pill trafficking and for women's health

John Seago, president of Texas Right to Life, an anti-abortion group that pushed for the legislation, said the law was drafted in an "aggressive" way to stop the "trafficking" of abortion drugs into Texas.

"That’s really what we’re trying to get at — to create better tools to respond to this open defiance and very dangerous practice of mailing abortion pills," said Seago in remarks reported by The Washington Post.

Democratic disinformation

On Wednesday, Seago asserted in X that the legislative irresponsibility and misinformation disseminated by the progressives can put the welfare of women at risk.

"It is legislative malpractice & absolutely dangerous misinformation for pro-abortion Democrat Senators to say that #prolife HB 7 jeopardizes woman's health & will make med professionals delay life-saving care."

The legislation, which failed in the regular session, took months to overcome opposition that came from the anti-abortion movement. Texas is one of fourteen states that have banned abortion since the Dobbs decision overturned the practice of abortion that had been established under the 1973 Roe Vs Wade ruling.