2021 Legislative Priorities
These are the bills we’re watching during the 2021 Texas legislative session. If you want updates all session long about how to fight for youth reproductive rights, sign up here — especially if you’re a young person under the age of 18 in Texas and want to take action!
If you want to also track any of these bills, check out our blog post on how to track a bill. Links to each of the bills are included below.
Birth Control Access for Teens
HB 3369: My Body, My Future
State Representative Ana-Maria Ramos (HD 102) has filed the My Body, My Future Bill, HB 3369, to allow young people under the age of 18 in Texas to be able to consent to birth control in Texas. This bill is the first effort to repeal the parental consent requirement for birth control that was passed in 1998.
HB 296: Teen parents consenting to birth control
Right now, Texans under 18 cannot consent to birth control — even if they already have a child. This bill would allow teen parents to consent to their own birth control.
HB 835: Insurance coverage of youth birth control
Texans under 18 can receive health insurance under the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This bill would have CHIP cover birth control for eligible teens in the program.
SB 536: Teen parents consenting to birth control and postpartum care
This Senate bill would allow teen parents to consent to their own birth control as well as postpartum care.
Expanding Access to Abortion
HB 1362: Rosie's Law
Texas prohibits public and private health insurance from covering abortion care. This bill — led by our abortion fund friends at Frontera Fund, Lilith Fund, and TEA Fund — would remove the bans and allow state insurance to cover abortion.
HB 4389: Abortion is Healthcare Act
This omnibus bill would repeal multiple abortion restrictions in Texas, including manditory sonogram, 24-hour waiting period, and parental consent for young people.
Improving Sex Education
HB 1038: Removing anti-LGBTQ language from state statute
Would remove unconstitutional language that still remains in Texas statute declaring homosexual conduct to be illegal, and would remove references to this language from requirements for sex education.
HB 972: Teaching healthy relationships
Would require education on healthy relationships for students enrolled in public schools.
Safe and Healthy Communities for All Young People
HB 320: Reinstating women's health advisory committee
The women’s health advisory commission’s was created to provide recommendations on the state’s women’s health programs and is to be comprised of health care providers from separate geographic areas of the state who have experience in operating women’s health programs.
HB 608: Assessing of pregnant or parenting youth placement in foster care
This bill would mandate a report on youth in the managing conservatorship of the department who are pregnant or who are parents.
HB 492: Prohibits issuance of no-knock warrants
Relating to a prohibition on the issuance of a warrant authorizing the use of a no-knock entry by a peace officer.
HB 1262: Trauma-informed practices and police
Requiring education and training for peace officers regarding trauma-informed techniques to facilitate interactions with homeless individuals.
Barriers to Abortion and Birth Control
HB 1173 and SB 650: Bans local governments from covering logistical support for abortion access
In 2019 Austin City Council approved funding for logistical support for abortion access. This bill would ban this funding.
HB 1171: Guardian ad litem for a fetus
This bill would allow for the appointment of an attorney ad litem or guardian ad litem to represent the fetus in judicial bypass cases.
HB 1515 and SB 8
These bills would ban all abortion in Texas as early as 6 weeks and allow anyone to sue someone they suspected helped a pregnant person access a banned abortion.
HB 1280
This is what is known as a “trigger ban,” meaning it completely bans abortion in Texas the moment Roe v. Wade is overturned.
SRJ 25: Constitutional amendment declaring personhood of fetuses
This constitutional amendment would ban abortion by declaring that life begins at fertilization.