Texas House Bill 7
Texas House Bill 7 is a 2025 law in the state of Texas that allows private citizens to sue manufacturers and distributors of abortion pills to and from Texas for damages targeting shield laws passed in other states which prevent the enforcement of out-of-state laws regarding abortion care, nullifying them as a defense in Texas courts.
Background
After the overturning of Roe v. Wade, a six-week abortion ban came into effect in Texas. Senate Bill 8, also known as the Heartbeat Act, became law in 2021 and prohibits abortions in the state if a heartbeat is detected unless the doctor reasonably believes there is a medical emergency requiring the removal of the fetus. Studies following the overturning of Roe v. Wade found that the abortion rate across the United States increased relative to before."Telehealth abortions" were still technically legal in Texas because of shield laws in other states such as New York, who could send abortion pills to patients in Texas from other states without the threat of legal action. Abortion pills are approved by the FDA to be used up to the tenth week of pregnancy.
Provisions
House Bill 7 permits private citizens in Texas to sue the manufacturers and distributors of abortion pills in the state for damages. If their lawsuit is successful, the minimum in damages is $100,000. If the plaintiff is not directly related to the affected fetus but is still successful, they are entitled to 10% of the damages, with the rest going to charity. Women who are administered such care cannot be targeted or sued, only the manufacturers and distributors. Doctors cannot be sued for administering such care as well.Because the bill gives enforcement to private citizens and not the state itself, the state cannot be directly taken to court over enforcement of the law. Appeals related to the law are sent to the 15th Court of Appeals.