Updated following SB 2880’s passage out of the State Affairs Committee.
With just days left before the Texas House deadline to pass Senate bills, a group of Republican lawmakers warned Friday that key conservative priorities could die unless leadership acts fast.
Their chief concern? Senate Bill 2880, the Women and Child Protection Act, would allow private civil lawsuits against those who distribute abortion-inducing drugs like mifepristone and misoprostol. At the time of the press conference, the bill remained stuck in the House State Affairs Committee—but just hours later, it was voted out and sent to the Calendars Committee.
“If Republicans move swiftly, these bills can pass,” said State Rep. Tony Tinderholt, who led the event. “Any Republican bill that’s on the five-yard line today will only fail to become law because Republicans did not allow [it] to pass. Republicans run the chamber, and we can pass these laws.”
Tinderholt was joined by eight other Republican lawmakers pushing for SB 2880 and other stalled Senate bills to move forward.
“Texas voters chose the Republican Party to lead the Texas Legislature,” he added. “And the bills we’re going to speak about are bills that Republican voters would celebrate as huge wins in Texas.”
State Rep. Mitch Little delivered a sharp defense of SB 2880.
“We need to end the use and distribution of medication abortions in Texas. Most Texans don’t really understand—you are 10 times more likely to die from a medication abortion than you are [from] a surgical abortion. Not only that, we have obvious 100% fatality to babies in the state of Texas from these medications,” said Little
He pointed to the origins of the drug mifepristone, calling it “a product designed to kill babies.”
He added, “We are in a war right now… We have the power, and we have the votes to pass that bill. If that matters to us, now is the time. There is no other time to do this. We have to do it now.”
State Rep. Brent Money backed that up.
“Protecting the most innocent and vulnerable among us is the most important thing that we do. It’s the most important role of government. SB 2880 will save the lives of unborn children,” said Money.
Money also pushed for Senate Bill 18, which he said “helps to end these perverted drag shows, drag queen story hours at our libraries,” and Senate Bill 1396 to block “harmful sex education curriculum.” He called on the Calendars Committee to act.
“These are events that have occurred in many districts across Texas, and our constituents expect us to end them.”
State Rep. Andy Hopper noted that over 40 Republican lawmakers signed a letter in support of SB 2880 this week.
“It’s my sincere hope that Chairman King will stop standing in the way of pro-life Texans and their efforts to defend the unborn.”
Hopper also called attention to several other Senate bills still awaiting action: Senate Bill 1065, to prevent gun bans in publicly owned spaces like the State Fair; Senate Bill 16, requiring proof of citizenship to vote; and Senate Bill 315, giving Texans rights over their DNA. “These would be some very strong wins to finish off this session,” he said.
State Rep. Nate Schatzline offered a final rallying cry: “If we can’t pass a bill to protect the most innocent Texans, then what are we here for in the Republican-led legislature?” He warned that “if Chairman King kills a bill that would protect tens of thousands of innocent children from the murder that is abortion, Republicans will be forced to hold him accountable.”
Joining them in support at the press conference were State Reps. Joanne Shofner, Keresa Richardson, Steve Toth, and Mike Olcott, who stood with their colleagues in urging immediate action before the session clock runs out.
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