By Conservative State Representative Angelia Orr
There is nothing more precious than holding a newborn baby—seeing those tiny fingers grasp yours, watching their little chest rise and fall as they sleep peacefully. Every child is a miracle, fearfully and wonderfully made by our Creator. I have always been, and always will be, unapologetically pro-life.
I am proud to live in a state that leads the nation in valuing human life. When the U.S. Supreme Court finally overturned Roe v. Wade, our trigger law took effect, outlawing nearly all abortions in Texas. That law, along with the Texas Heartbeat Act, has already saved thousands of lives.
Being pro-life is also about loving and supporting mothers in this delicate and often difficult time of life. I am committed to expanding programs that help mothers and families, like the Thriving Texas Families program, which provides counseling, parenting classes, and baby supplies for Texas moms. I also am working to secure funding for the Healthy Texas Women program to make sure eligible, low-income women have access to family planning resources.
Just last month, pro-abortion activists—including Planned Parenthood and other abortion groups—descended on the Texas Capitol for a day of action to push their dangerous agenda. Their goal is clear: they want to weaken our pro-life laws, bring abortion back to Texas, and undermine the life-saving progress we’ve made. We cannot let that happen.
Planned Parenthood and its allies claim to support “women’s rights,” but what about the rights of unborn women? They profit from abortion, and they are working overtime to expand access to abortion pills, promote out-of-state abortions, and strip away the protections we have fought so hard to pass. Their presence at the Capitol was a stark reminder that the battle for life is far from over.
In this session, I am focused on closing abortion loopholes and protecting women from dangerous practices. Here are some of the key priorities I’m working on:
Blocking Abortion Pills in Texas: There are an estimated 19,000 abortion pills coming into our state each year, putting mothers and babies at risk of severe harm. That’s why I am a big supporter of House Bill 5510, giving Texans the ability to fight back against the companies and groups facilitating abortions in Texas with wrongful death lawsuits and allowing the Attorney General to enforce pro-life laws when a liberal district attorney refuses to. This bill will be instrumental in the fight against abortion pill providers and saving Texans’ lives.
Defunding the Abortion Industry: Did you know big cities like San Antonio and Austin are funding flights, food, gas, and other expenses for women to travel out of state for abortions? These liberal cities are promoting the culture of death in Texas, but we are working harder to stop them. No Texas tax dollars should ever fund abortion-related programs, and these liberal cities’ actions are way out of line. It’s time to shut these programs down and ensure that our money goes to life-affirming care.
Lastly, I want to explain my joint-authorship of House Bill 44, which clarifies the medical exceptions under Texas’s pro-life laws. Let me be clear: Texas law already allows life-saving medical intervention if a mother’s life is in danger. However, some doctors have expressed confusion about when they can intervene, and we have heard heartbreaking stories of women being denied necessary medical care because of misunderstandings about the law.
HB 44 ensures that doctors can act in good faith to protect the life and health of a mother in a TRUE medical emergency—without opening the door to elective abortion. This bill does not weaken Texas’s pro-life protections, nor does it allow abortion for non-life-threatening conditions. It simply provides clarity so that women facing real medical crises get the care they need without delay.
As I wrap up this week’s column, I want to remind you that the abortion industry and its supporters will stop at nothing to undo the progress we’ve made. But I believe Texans will continue to stand strong for life. I have faith that, together, we can build a culture where every life is protected, cherished, and given a chance to thrive.
Thank you for reading my weekly column! Make sure you stay connected and informed about the legislative process by calling our Capitol office at (512) 463-0600 or by following my social media page at www.facebook.com/AngeliaOrrForTX.
–Your Conservative State Representative Angelia Orr
