Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, changemakers fought for virtual testimony during the 87th legislative session. Soon enough, virtual testimony was open to all Texans, no matter where they resided in the state. Though after the pandemic, our lawmakers closed virtual testimony. We still demand access. It is a right for everyone to participate in testifying, not just Austin folx who reside close to the Texas Capitol.

Rosie’s Law was initially introduced by Frontera Fund, Lilith Fund, and TEA Fund in 2019 as a bill. Since then, reproductive justice organizations like Deeds Not Words have been in support of Rosie’s Law. While the bill did not pass in 2021, we continue to support Rosie’s Law.

• Rosie’s Law would Rosie’s law would require Medicaid, private insurance plans, and federal health insurance marketplace plans to:

  • Provide coverage for legal abortion care without cost-sharing requirements; 

  • Provide coverage for all forms of contraception approved by the FDA–including sterilization and emergency contraception, for contraception options and pain and anxiety management counseling, as well as for birth control device insertion and removal, and for pain and anxiety management associated with device insertion or removal. It would also prohibit cost-sharing requirements or utilization control techniques.

• HB 1434, filed by our changemakers at Rice University, would ban Non-Consensual Pelvic Exams. This bill stipulates that pelvic exams cannot be performed by doctors, residents, or medical students unless the patient has given consent, the pelvic examination is within the standard of care, or it is medically necessary for diagnostic purposes.

• “This bill is important to me because, as a student advocate for stronger interpersonal violence prevention measures, I’ve had many conversations with students at Rice regarding the practice of non-consensual pelvic exams. Most of these discussions have led to one overarching conclusion: these exams have the potential to be incredibly re-traumatizing for no good reason. Feelings of anxiety, fear, and distrust should not be associated with our healthcare system; healthcare is a basic human right necessary for the well-being of Texans. Non-consensual pelvic exams violate an individual’s right to privacy and destroy the sanctity of the doctor-patient relationship. This bill is crucial to protecting the basic rights of Texans.” - Krithika Shamanna, changemaker and author of the bill.

SB 45 would provide legal protections against sexual harassment to all employees in the state of Texas. Regardless of the number of people who work for an employer. This bill also clarifies the definition of workplace sexual harassment, and gives every Texas employee access to report and prosecute.

SB 14 would have prohibited counties and cities from passing protection policies for workers. It would have gone beyond that and undone discrimination protections for LGBTQIA+ people and people who have a criminal record.

• Both bills were fundamentally anti-democratic, anti-voter assaults on our right that will make voting harder for voters with disabilities, older voters, students away at college, and those with limited English proficiency.

• “Voter suppression comes in many forms. It is obvious that the provisions of this bill will cause even more barriers to voting. Those who support this bill are elected officials who should be encouraging voter participation, instead of internationally creating provisions that make it harder for people, especially young people of color like me, to vote.” - Zaina Khalid, University of Houston student.

During the 87th legislative session, our lawmakers introduced seven anti-abortion bills. We helped defeat six out of the seven. Those are: SB 9, 394, 650, 802, 1173, and 1647. These bills would have criminalized abortion, criminalized the medication abortion pill, stopped government entities from providing support, and potentially provided people with conservative resources before an abortion.

HB 1171 would have created an unconstitutional barrier to access abortion care for young people in Texas.

• Even though our lawmakers have already tried to pass seven anti-abortion bills earlier in the session, they came back with their companion bills. Companion bills are two identical bills that are introduced in the Senate and in the House. They have two chances to advance through the chambers. 

• Four companion bills that we helped defeat: HB 2337, 2313, 3218, and 3760.  These bills would have criminalized abortion, criminalized medication abortion pills, and potentially provided people with conservative resources before an abortion. However, a new House Bill was introduced: HB 1515. This bill would have criminalized an abortion after 6 weeks, which did pass under its companion bill, SB 8.

• “You are forcing trauma victims to endure more trauma rather than assisting in their healing. You are removing their choice. If you choose to make decisions for my body, how will you take responsibility for survivors after a rape that results in a pregnancy? The right to an abortion is healthcare; the right to make that choice for yourself is physical and mental health care.” - Tatum Zeko, changemaker.

SB 29/HB 4042 would have unfairly and cruelly targeted trans student athletes in Texas.

Both bills would have directly harmed transgender Texans seeking crucial healthcare. HB 1399 would allow any medical professional to object to any medical procedure that violates their “ethical, moral, or religious beliefs” even if the procedure in question is life-saving care. HB 1424 would have discouraged doctors from providing best-practice transition care.