The Texas Senate Democratic Caucus has denounced the "Woman and Child Protection Act," calling it a dangerous expansion of Texas’ abortion restrictions that threatens women, families, and health care providers far beyond the states’ borders.
HB 7 would create a bounty system allowing private citizens to sue over suspected violations of the state’s abortion ban. Democrats argue the measure deputizes Texans as informants and incentivizes harassment with six-figure rewards.
In a statement, the Texas Senate Democratic Caucus argued that “HB 7 isn’t about protecting life – it’s about control.”
“It turns neighbors into informants and women into prisoners within their own state,” they warned, adding that “by dangling six-figure rewards, it incentivizes harassment, fuels abuse and opens the door to nationwide enforcement of Texas’ cruel laws.”
The caucus warned the law could have devastating, unintended consequences, citing that a woman grieving a miscarriage could find her tragedy turned into courtroom evidence if someone overheard details of her prescription. Another example would be a rural mother ordering lifesaving postpartum medication might face legal scrutiny if a delivery driver noticed the package. Even a midwife carrying necessary medicine could be sued for up to $100,000.
“In each scenario, women aren’t just at risk – entire communities lose access to safe, reliable health care,” the caucus expressed.
The Texas Democrats heavily criticized the bill’s reach across state lines.
HB 7 allows lawsuits against providers and pharmacies in states where abortion care remains legal. “If California or New York tried to impose their laws on Texans, this legislature would erupt in outrage,” the caucus argued.
Arguing that the bill is part of a “broader authoritarian playbook,” the Texas Democrats warned HB 7 could inspire copycat laws nationwide.
“This is not protection. This is surveillance,” the caucus commented. “Texans deserve leaders who expand freedom, not strip it away.”
