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The Texas Senate has taken another step in reinforcing the state’s pro-life legal framework by passing Senate Bill 33 (SB 33), a measure that broadens existing prohibitions on the use of taxpayer resources to support abortion-related activities, including travel. The bill passed the Senate with a 22–9 vote on Wednesday, including support from two Democrat State Senators, highlighting the momentum behind the proposal as it heads to the Texas House for consideration. Authored by State Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels), SB 33 aims to close perceived loopholes in current law by prohibiting government entities from funding not just abortion providers, but also any person or organization classified as an “abortion assistance entity.”
Expansion of Abortion Law in Texas Through SB 33
SB 33 amends the Texas Government Code to expand the list of prohibited relationships between governmental entities and outside organizations. The legislation adds a new category, termed “abortion assistance entities,” which includes individuals or groups that facilitate abortions in various ways. These facilitations include offering or paying for travel, lodging, child care, meals, or counseling that encourages abortion. It also includes organizations that provide financial aid or distribute abortion-inducing drugs. By broadening the law to include these assistance-based services, SB 33 prevents municipalities from indirectly supporting abortion access using taxpayer dollars, a tactic that has been employed by local governments like those in Austin and San Antonio.
The bill’s language clarifies that logistical support, even when it occurs outside the state or through third-party organizations, cannot be underwritten by public funds. Services such as arranging transportation to out-of-state clinics, paying for overnight accommodations, or even offering food or counseling related to abortion decisions are considered impermissible uses of public resources. These additions reflect an increasingly holistic approach to abortion regulation in Texas, focusing not only on the procedure itself but also on the network of support services that can enable it.
SB 33’s Prohibition of Logistical Support for Abortion Services
A key component of SB 33 is the creation of a new statutory section—Government Code Section 2273.0031—which directly prohibits any government entity in Texas from spending money or entering into contracts that provide logistical support for abortions. This logistical support is broadly defined and includes, among other things, the provision of child care, travel assistance, lodging, food, or counseling when it is intended to assist a woman in obtaining an abortion. The bill’s authors specifically framed these activities as indirect subsidies of abortion access that should be prevented in a state where the procedure is otherwise heavily restricted or banned.
This provision includes an exception when federal law mandates such support. However, even that exception requires a formal determination by the executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, followed by confirmation from the state attorney general. In effect, this high threshold ensures the state maintains its ability to resist federal overreach while complying only when absolutely required under federal preemption standards.
Civil Enforcement and Waiver of Governmental Immunity
SB 33 also strengthens enforcement mechanisms by allowing private individuals—residents of Texas or political subdivisions within the state—to file civil lawsuits against governmental entities or their partners who violate the bill’s provisions. This represents a continuation of Texas’s recent embrace of citizen-enforcement models, as seen in SB 8, the Texas Heartbeat Bill, which deputized citizens to enforce abortion restrictions. Under SB 33, plaintiffs may seek declaratory and injunctive relief, reimbursement of misused funds, and attorneys’ fees. Crucially, the bill also waives sovereign immunity for governmental entities, explicitly allowing them to be sued and barring courts from awarding legal fees to the defendants in these cases.
This approach gives the public a direct tool to hold governmental bodies accountable and ensures that abortion-related spending, even at the municipal level, cannot proceed unchecked. By creating real consequences for violations, the bill empowers Texas citizens and removes the typical legal shields that governments might otherwise invoke to delay or avoid compliance.
Conclusion: SB 33 Represents Texas’s Continued Commitment to Pro-Life Policy
Senate Bill 33 is the latest expression of Texas’s commitment to a pro-life policy environment that is both principled and practical. By targeting abortion assistance entities and banning the use of public funds for logistical support related to abortion, the bill closes off avenues that some local governments have attempted to exploit to skirt existing abortion restrictions. Its structure reflects a careful balance of policy ambition and legal restraint—extending prohibitions without new spending, empowering citizens without overregulating, and preserving liberty within a pro-life ethical framework.
As SB 33 moves to the Texas House of Representatives, it stands as a strong example of limited government in action, a bill that reinforces statutory intent without expanding bureaucracy, and a policy that mirrors the values of a state that continues to lead on the issue of life.
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