Overview

• The Texas House approved Senate Bill 31 in a 129-6 vote, following unanimous Senate approval in April, with a final procedural vote pending before it reaches Gov. Greg Abbott.
• The bill specifies that doctors cannot face criminal charges for performing abortions in medical emergencies that pose life-threatening risks or cause major bodily impairment.
• It standardizes the definition of 'life-threatening' conditions across Texas laws, ensuring doctors need not wait for imminent danger to act in emergencies.
• The legislation directs the Texas Medical Board and State Bar to develop training programs for doctors and lawyers on the updated legal framework.
• Critics argue the bill remains too narrow, excluding exceptions for rape, incest, and fatal fetal anomalies, while some conservatives fear potential loopholes.