By: Campbell, et al. S.B. No. 650
(Noble, Morrison, Klick, Slawson, Hull)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to prohibited logistical support by a governmental entity
for procurement of an abortion or the services of an abortion
provider.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 2272, Government Code, as added by
Chapter 501 (S.B. 22), Acts of the 86th Legislature, Regular
Session, 2019, is amended by adding Section 2272.0031 to read as
follows:
Sec. 2272.0031. LOGISTICAL SUPPORT PROHIBITED. (a) Except
as provided by Subsection (b), a governmental entity may not enter
into a taxpayer resource transaction or appropriate or spend money
to provide to any person logistical support for the express purpose
of assisting a woman with procuring an abortion or the services of
an abortion provider. Logistical support includes providing money
for:
(1) child care;
(2) travel or any form of transportation to or from an
abortion provider;
(3) lodging;
(4) food or food preparation;
(5) counseling that encourages a woman to have an
abortion; and
(6) any other service that facilitates the provision
of an abortion.
(b) This section does not apply to a taxpayer resource
transaction entered into or money appropriated or spent by a
governmental entity that is subject to a federal law in conflict
with Subsection (a) as determined by the executive commissioner of
the Health and Human Services Commission and confirmed in writing
by the attorney general.
SECTION 2. Section 2272.004(a), Government Code, as added
by Chapter 501 (S.B. 22), Acts of the 86th Legislature, Regular
Session, 2019, is amended to read as follows:
(a) The attorney general may bring an action in the name of
the state to enjoin a violation of Section 2272.003 or 2272.0031.
The attorney general may recover reasonable attorney's fees and
costs incurred in bringing an action under this subsection.
SECTION 3. It is the intent of the legislature that every
provision, section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or word
in this Act, and every application of the provisions in this Act to
each person or entity, are severable from each other. If any
application of any provision in this Act to any person, group of
persons, or circumstances is found by a court to be invalid for any
reason, the remaining applications of that provision to all other
persons and circumstances shall be severed and may not be affected.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.