81st Legislative Session

Our foundational principle to protect the life and dignity of all human persons calls us to work to end abortion, euthanasia, destruction of human embryos, cloning and assisted suicide.

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Bill		Summary and Position	Resources
HB 36		This legislation would require a physician to review a woman's ultrasound with her prior to her having an abortion. The woman is not required to view the ultrasound. The TCC supports this bill because it provides the mother with more information about her unborn child and may help the mother realize the humanity of her unborn child and choose life. (See SB 182)	Policy Paper: Support allowing women seeking abortions to view ultrasounds
HB 44		This will would require pharmacists that dispense or distribute emergency contraception to inform the recipient that the emergency contraception have prevent the implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterus. Any pharmacy distributing emergency contraception would also have to have a sign at each cash register, which would include the following language "If you believe that life begins at fertilization -- the point where sperm and egg unite--then you need to know that emergency contraception may...prevent the egg and sperm from uniting or prevent the implantation of your already fertilized egg in your womb." The bill would also require that the person obtaining the drug to show proof of identification that the person is 18 years of age or older, and would also that the sale be recorded. The Catholic Church recognizes that the fertilized egg is a unique human life, and supports this bill which helps raise awareness of the fact that the fertilized egg is a human life and also that emergency contraception can be an abortifacient.
HB 109		This legislation would allow the issuance of "Choose Life" license plates. A portion of the purchase price of every plate would be collected into an account from which grants would be distributed to charitable organizations that help pregnant women place their children for adoption. Organizations that provide abortions or abortion-related services, or make referrals to abortion providers would not be able to receive this funding. The TCC supports this bill because it would help promote a Culture of Life within the state and would also create support for pregnancy centers that advocate adoption and not abortion.	Policy Paper: Support "Choose Life” license plate legislation
HB 300		This bill carries an amendment that would allow for the creation of a Choose Life License plate. A portion of the purchase price of every plate would be collected into an account from which grants would be distributed to charitable organizations that help pregnant women place their children for adoption. Organization that provide abortions or abortion-related services, or make referrals to abortion providers would not be able to receive this funding. The TCC supports this bill because it would help promote a Culture of Life within the state and would also create support for pregnancy centers that advocate adoption and not abortion.	Policy Paper: Support "Choose Life” license plate legislation
HB 353 This bill recognizes domestic partnerships in statute. The TCC opposes this bill because domestic partnerships are not recognized by the Church and cannot be viewed in equal standing with marriage.
HB 543		This bill, known as a "clone and kill" bill, allows for the creation and destruction of human life for research. The TCC opposes this bill because the creation and destruction of innocent human life for experimental testing is unethical and denies the dignity of the young unborn life.	Policy Paper: Support ban on all forms of human cloning, including opposing legislation that allows for the creation of cloned embryos that would be destroyed.
HB 680		This bill proposes that, in cases where the pregnancy is a result of conduct constituting a felony (which includes incest and rape), a woman can consent to an abortion without receiving information on fetal development, pregnancy, adoption, and abortion alternative resources. The TCC opposes this bill because, while rape and incest are tragic sins, the taking the life of an innocent unborn child is never justified. Abortion in the case of conception by rape or incest further continues the violence and trauma to the woman and does not relieve the pain from the crime.	The Woman's Right to Know Brochure provides women with information on fetal development, pregnancy, adoption, and abortion alternative resources, and is required by Texas law to be given to all women considering abortion. Click here for our Policy Paper on the Women's Right to Know brochure
HB 684		This bill proposes that, in cases where a severe and irreversible abnormality in the fetus is detected, a woman can consent to an abortion without receiving information on fetal development, pregnancy, adoption, and abortion alternative resources. The TCC opposes this bill because God created all human life and all children have the right to be born regardless of any disabilities they may have.	The Woman's Right to Know Brochure provides women with information on fetal development, pregnancy, adoption, and abortion alternative resources, and is required by Texas law to be given to all women considering abortion.
HB 822		This bill deals with surrogacy contracts where a woman agrees to undergo in vitro fertilization to carry a child for another person or persons. The TCC opposes this bill first because Church teaching does not approve of the practice of in vitro fertilization, which removes the act of conception from the natural union between man and woman, and also because this bill would allow single individuals to contract with others to bear for them a child,  which is contrary to our teaching that children have a right to be raised by their parents.
HB 892		This bill would retain or increase funding for programs and services designed to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and lower the rates of sexually transmitted diseases. This is not the same funding stream as the Texas Pregnancy Care Network, which provides funding for organizations that provide abortion alternatives services. The TCC opposes this bill because it would provide funding for contraception and family planning services.
HB 1764		This bill, known as a "clone and kill" bill, allows for the creation and destruction of human life for research. The TCC opposes this bill because the creation and destruction of innocent human life for experimental testing is unethical and denies the dignity of the young unborn life.	Policy Paper: Support ban on all forms of human cloning, including opposing legislation that allows for the creation of cloned embryos that would be destroyed.
HB 1190		This bill, known as a "clone and kill" bill, allows for the creation and destruction of human life for research. The TCC opposes this bill because the creation and destruction of innocent human life for experimental testing is unethical and denies the dignity of the young unborn life.  (See SB 641)	Policy Paper: Support ban on all forms of human cloning, including opposing legislation that allows for the creation of cloned embryos that would be destroyed.
HB 1242		This bill would allow a woman at an institution of higher education who is pregnant or gives birth during a semester or term to receive a tuition payment credit for courses she drops. She may then apply the credit toward the payment of tuition for courses taken at the institution in the two years following the term for which she received the credit. The TCC supports this bill as a way to aid pregnant mothers in continuing their education.
HB 1371		This bill would prohibit the state from accepting federal funds for abstinence-only education. The TCC opposes this bill which targets abstinence-only programs that receive federal funding.
HB 2221		This bill would require information on emergency contraception to be provided to sexual assault survivors. The TCC opposes this bill because it does not serve the needs of sexual assault survivors who are  faced with a tragic situation and need real help. Providing information on emergency contraception to a woman in a vulnerable emotional state may risks encouraging her to make the rash decision to destroy  the life of the unborn child who may be in her womb.
HB 2659 This bill creates an outreach campaign to more fathers' involvement with their children before birth. The campaign includes information on making healthy lifestyle changes, basic infant care, co-parenting strategies, and the mother and child's prenatal health. The TCC supports this bill because it provides information for the support of strong families in recognizing the important impact of the presence of a father in providing a healthy environment for raising children HB 2789 This bill would allow for a child to be used as evidence of a mother's use of a controlled substance. The TCC opposes this bill because it may discourage a mother from seeking medical help in her delivery and it may also increase the incidence of abortion. HB 3152 This bill would prohibit the performance of an abortion on a woman who is not known to be pregnant. The TCC supports this legislation because it criminalizes the act of preying on women by deceiving them as to their status as a mother and then charging them for a service based on that falsehood.  HB 3796 This bill seeks to prevent coerced abortions by requiring that a physician inform a woman seeking an abortion that she cannot be forced into having an abortion. The woman would be provided with a form where she can report abuse, as well a private room with a telephone . If the woman does indicate that she is being coerced, the physician shall report abuse or neglect, refer her to a domestic violence shelter that does not refer for abortion, and may not perform the abortion. The TCC supports this bill recognizing that it provides resources for women facing abuse and neglect, and helps them to leave an abusive situation while also avoiding the additional tragedy of being coerced into taking the life of her child.
SB 182		This legislation would require a physician to review a woman's ultrasound with her prior to her having an abortion. The woman is not required to view the ultrasound. The TCC supports this bill because it provides the mother with more information about her unborn child and may help the mother realize the humanity of her unborn child and choose life. (See HB 36)	Policy Paper: Support allowing women seeking abortions to view ultrasounds
SB 208		This bill, known as a "clone and kill" bill, allows for the creation and destruction of human life for research. The TCC opposes this bill because the creation and destruction of innocent human life for experimental testing is unethical and denies the dignity of the young unborn life.	Policy Paper: Support ban on all forms of human cloning, including opposing legislation that allows for the creation of cloned embryos that would be destroyed.
SB 342 This bill would allow for a child to be used as evidence of a mother's use of a controlled substance. The TCC opposes this bill because it may discourage a mother from seeking medical help in her delivery and it may also increase the incidence of abortion.
SB 594 This bill would retain or increase funding for programs and services designed to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and lower the rates of sexually transmitted diseases. This is not the same funding stream as the Texas Pregnancy Care Network, which provides funding for organizations that provide abortion alternatives services. The TCC opposes this bill because it would provide funding for contraception and family planning services.
SB 641		This bill, known as a "clone and kill" bill, allows for the creation and destruction of human life for research. The TCC opposes this bill because the creation and destruction of innocent human life for experimental testing is unethical and denies the dignity of the young unborn life.  (See HB 1190)	Policy Paper: Support ban on all forms of human cloning, including opposing legislation that allows for the creation of cloned embryos that would be destroyed.
SB 1098 This legislation would allow the issuance of "Choose Life" license plates. A portion of the purchase price of every plate would be collected into an account from which grants would be distributed to charitable organizations that help pregnant women place their children for adoption. Organizations that provide abortions or abortion-related services, or make referrals to abortion providers would not be able to receive this funding. The TCC supports this bill because it would help promote a Culture of Life within the state and would also create support for pregnancy centers that advocate adoption and not abortion. Policy Paper: Support “Choose Life” license plate legislation
SB 1695 This bill prohibits the state funding and the use of state facilities for embryonic stem cell research. The TCC supports this bill because it limits embryonic stem cell research and therefore protects the life of the unborn child.  Policy Paper: Support legislation that bans embryonic stem cell research.  SB 1802 This bill, known as a "clone and kill" bill, allows for the creation and destruction of human life for research. The TCC opposes this bill because the creation and destruction of innocent human life for experimental testing is unethical and denies the dignity of the young unborn life. Policy Paper: Support ban on all forms of human cloning, including opposing legislation that allows for the creation of cloned embryos that would be destroyed.

SB 2027		This bill deals with surrogacy contracts where a woman agrees to undergo in vitro fertilization to carry a child for another person or persons. The TCC opposes this bill first because Church teaching does not approve of the practice of in vitro fertilization, which removes the act of conception from the natural union between man and woman, and also because this bill would allow single individuals to contract with others to bear for them a child,  which is contrary to our teaching that children have a right to be raised by their parents.
SB 2091		This bill allows for the fetus to be considered as a source for anatomical gifts, and allows the "gift" to be used for transplantation, therapy, research, or education.TCC opposes this bill because our Catholic teaching tells us that an abortion is always wrong and that any good end, i.e., research or education, cannot justify bad means, which, in the case of abortion, is the killing of innocent human life.
SB 2500 This legislation would allow the issuance of "Choose Life" license plates. A portion of the purchase price of every plate would be collected into an account from which grants would be distributed to charitable organizations that help pregnant women place their children for adoption. Organizations that provide abortions or abortion-related services, or make referrals to abortion providers would not be able to receive this funding. The TCC supports this bill because it would help promote a Culture of Life within the state and would also create support for pregnancy centers that advocate adoption and not abortion. Policy Paper: Support “Choose Life” license plate legislation
SB 2571 This bill seeks to prevent coerced abortions by requiring that a physician inform a woman seeking an abortion that she cannot be forced into having an abortion. The woman would be provided with a form where she can report abuse, as well a private room with a telephone . If the woman does indicate that she is being coerced, the physician shall report abuse or neglect, refer her to a domestic violence shelter that does not refer for abortion, and may not perform the abortion. The TCC supports this bill recognizing that it provides resources for women facing abuse and neglect, and helps them to leave an abusive situation while also avoiding the additional tragedy of being coerced into taking the life of her child. (See HB 3796).

Please Note: This report will continue to be updated throughout the Legislative Session.

Click here to view the Life Issues Priorities on our Legislative Agenda.