Texas Leaders Push for Special Session on Abortion Pills

Texas Leaders Push for Special Session on Abortion Pills

A group of nearly 100 abortion opponents, including Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, called on Governor Greg Abbott to convene a special legislative session focused on abortion pills sent through the mail. Their request centered on the proposed Woman and Child Protection Act, which sought to strengthen Texas restrictions on the distribution and provision of abortion-inducing drugs.

The proposal later became House Bill 7 (HB 7). Governor Abbott signed the legislation in September 2025, and the law took effect on December 4, 2025. It created new restrictions involving abortion-inducing drugs and authorized certain private civil actions related to violations of those restrictions.

The Original Call for a Special Session

The 2025 campaign for additional restrictions focused on abortion pills obtained through mail and out-of-state providers. Supporters argued that existing Texas abortion laws did not adequately address the distribution of abortion-inducing drugs across state lines.

The proposed legislation sought to give Texas additional legal tools to pursue people and organizations involved in manufacturing, distributing, mailing, transporting, delivering, prescribing, or providing abortion-inducing drugs to or from Texas.

At the time, the legislation was still being considered, and advocates were calling on Governor Abbott to include the issue in a special session.

HB 7 Became Law

The proposed restrictions subsequently became HB 7. The Texas Legislature's official record identifies the law as addressing prohibitions on the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs and authorizing qui tam actions, which allow certain private parties to bring civil lawsuits under specified circumstances.

Under the law, with specified exceptions, a person may not manufacture or distribute an abortion-inducing drug in Texas or mail, transport, deliver, prescribe, or provide an abortion-inducing drug to or from a person or location in Texas. The statute also includes exceptions, including provisions concerning conduct by a pregnant woman and certain federally protected conduct.

HB 7 took effect on December 4, 2025.

2026 Lawsuits Cite the New Law

The law was subsequently cited in lawsuits against out-of-state abortion-pill providers.

In January 2026, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued a Delaware-based nurse practitioner over allegations involving the shipment of abortion-inducing drugs to Texas. In February, Paxton filed another lawsuit against Aid Access, its founder Rebecca Gomperts, and California physician Remy Coeytaux. The February case cited HB 7 and sought to stop the defendants from providing abortion-inducing drugs to Texas residents.

A separate private lawsuit filed in February 2026 also cited HB 7. According to reporting by The Texas Tribune, the lawsuit sought damages and other relief against a California physician accused of providing abortion-inducing drugs in connection with pregnancies in Texas.

These cases illustrate how the legal mechanisms created by HB 7 have moved beyond the legislative debate and into litigation involving out-of-state providers.

Legal Questions Over Out-of-State Providers

The Texas lawsuits have also raised questions about how HB 7 interacts with laws in other states that protect abortion providers from certain out-of-state investigations and legal proceedings.

Those conflicts involve broader questions about interstate jurisdiction, state sovereignty, and whether one state can use its courts to pursue conduct involving a provider located in another state.

The outcome of individual cases may depend on the facts, the applicable state laws, and rulings by the courts handling those disputes.

What the Law Means for Abortion-Pill Access

HB 7 represents a significant expansion of Texas's legal restrictions concerning abortion-inducing drugs. Rather than relying only on state enforcement, the law provides a mechanism for certain private civil actions involving conduct covered by the statute.

The law does not mean that every person involved in an abortion-pill case can automatically be sued. Its provisions contain specific requirements, exceptions, and limitations, and the interpretation and enforcement of those provisions remain subject to court proceedings.

For people seeking abortion information, it is important to distinguish between the medical use of abortion medication and the separate legal restrictions that may apply based on where a patient is located and where a provider or other person involved in providing the medication is located.

Current Status

As of October 7, 2026, HB 7 is in effect, and lawsuits have been filed under the law involving out-of-state abortion-pill providers. The legal disputes remain part of a broader conflict between Texas abortion restrictions and protections enacted in other states.

The original 2025 call for a special session therefore led to legislation that became law and was subsequently used as a basis for litigation involving abortion-pill access across state lines.

Sources

• Texas Legislature — Bills Signed by the Governor: HB 7
• Texas Tribune — Bill Allowing Private Citizens to Sue Over Abortion Pills Clears Texas Governor's Desk
• Reuters — Texas Governor Signs Bill Cracking Down on Mail-Order Abortion Pills
• Texas Attorney General's Office — 2026 Lawsuit Involving Out-of-State Abortion-Pill Provider
• Texas Tribune — Ken Paxton Suing California Doctor in Second Lawsuit Citing Texas Abortion Pill Law
• Reuters — US States' Lawsuit Seeking to Curb Abortion Drug Access Paused for Now