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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to prohibited logistical support by a governmental entity |
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for procurement of an abortion or the services of an abortion |
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provider. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 2273, Government Code, as redesignated |
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by H.B. 3607, Acts of the 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, |
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and effective September 1, 2021, is amended by adding Section |
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2273.0031 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 2273.0031. LOGISTICAL SUPPORT PROHIBITED. (a) Except |
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as provided by Subsection (b), a governmental entity may not enter |
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into a taxpayer resource transaction or appropriate or spend money |
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to provide to any person logistical support for the express purpose |
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of assisting a woman with procuring an abortion or the services of |
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an abortion provider. Logistical support includes providing money |
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for: |
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(1) child care; |
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(2) travel or any form of transportation to or from an |
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abortion provider; |
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(3) lodging; |
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(4) food or food preparation; |
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(5) counseling that encourages a woman to have an |
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abortion; and |
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(6) any other service that facilitates the provision |
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of an abortion. |
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(b) This section does not apply to a taxpayer resource |
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transaction entered into or money appropriated or spent by a |
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governmental entity that is subject to a federal law in conflict |
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with Subsection (a) as determined by the executive commissioner of |
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the Health and Human Services Commission and confirmed in writing |
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by the attorney general. |
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SECTION 2. Section 2273.004(a), Government Code, as |
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redesignated and amended by H.B. 3607, Acts of the 87th |
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Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, and effective September 1, |
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2021, is amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The attorney general may bring an action in the name of |
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the state to enjoin a violation of Section 2273.003 or 2273.0031. |
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The attorney general may recover reasonable attorney's fees and |
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costs incurred in bringing an action under this subsection. |
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SECTION 3. It is the intent of the legislature that every |
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provision, section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or word |
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in this Act, and every application of the provisions in this Act to |
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each person or entity, are severable from each other. If any |
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application of any provision in this Act to any person, group of |
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persons, or circumstances is found by a court to be invalid for any |
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reason, the remaining applications of that provision to all other |
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persons and circumstances shall be severed and may not be affected. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect December 1, 2021. |