SB 6 Texas Senate · 89th Legislature, 1st Called Session (2025)

Relating to abortion, including civil liability for the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs, exemptions from the Texas Citizens Participation Act and Religious Freedom Restoration Act, authorizing civil and qui tam actions, amendments to the fee-shifting statute governing abortion litigation, immunity defenses and limits on state-court jurisdiction and relief, the parens patriae standing of the attorney general, and the jurisdiction of the Fifteenth Court of Appeals; providing for severability.

SB 6 establishes civil liability for the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs, with limited exemptions for medical emergencies (like treating ectopic pregnancies or spontaneous abortions). It directly affects drug manufacturers, distributors, healthcare providers, and internet service providers by removing protections under Texas' Citizens Participation Act and Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Key provisions include authorizing civil lawsuits and "qui tam" actions (whistleblower suits), changing fee-shifting rules in abortion litigation, and limiting state-court jurisdiction over such cases. The bill also grants the Texas Attorney General special legal standing to enforce abortion laws and shifts jurisdiction for certain cases to the Fifteenth Court of Appeals.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Aug 2025
Committee Review
Aug 2025
Senate Passage
Aug 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Aug 8, 2025 Last action Aug 12, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Engrossed · 3 edits · Aug 12, 2025
MINOR
The bill was reformatted from a draft version to its final engrossed text, retaining the same core policy. The law establishes a new chapter prohibiting the manufacture and distribution of abortion-inducing drugs in Texas, with specific exemptions for medical emergencies and ectopic pregnancies. It creates a private right of action allowing individuals to sue violators for significant damages, while strictly limiting the state's ability to enforce these laws directly. The text also includes provisions to protect those who assist in abortion-related activities from lawsuits in other states.
Scope change
The scope of the bill remains focused on regulating abortion-inducing drugs and facilitating abortion access, with no substantive changes to the policy's applicability or the specific prohibitions enacted.
TECHNICAL

The text was reorganized and cleaned up to remove draft annotations and formatting errors, converting the document from a working draft to its final legislative version.

ENFORCEMENT

The final text explicitly details the exclusive enforcement mechanism, confirming that the state cannot directly enforce the drug ban and that enforcement is limited to private 'qui tam' lawsuits filed by individuals.

New provisions were added to protect individuals and entities from being sued in other states for their involvement in abortion-related activities, effectively creating a shield against out-of-state 'clawback' lawsuits.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
18
Key actions
5
Committee
5
Aug 12, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed
upper
Aug 11, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee report printed and distributed
upper
Aug 11, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably w/o amendments
upper
Aug 11, 2025
Upper · Passed
Vote taken in committee
upper
Aug 11, 2025
Upper · Passed
Testimony taken in committee
upper
Aug 8, 2025
Committee
Referred to State Affairs
upper
Aug 8, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
upper
1 primary · 14 co-sponsors

Sponsors