Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick this week praised the state Senate’s passage of a bill cracking down on chemical abortion pills’ manufacturing and distribution, a statement he acknowledged comes amid a heated standoff between parties as House Democrats have yet to return to the state to participate in special sessions.
“Protecting life is a priority of the Texas Senate and mine and we passed [Senate Bill] 6 today to ensure that abortion-inducing drugs are not distributed in Texas for the purpose of obtaining an illegal abortion,” Patrick stated in an Aug. 12 press release. “The Texas Senate will continue passing this pro-life protection each legislative session until House Democrats return from their ‘vacation’ and get back to work for the people of Texas.”
Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Tyler, introduced the “Woman and Child Protection Act” and the Texas Senate passed the bill Aug. 12 during a special session in a 18-9 vote, along with one non-vote and two marked absent. According to the Hill, SB 6 also allows private Texas citizens to sue people or companies that manufacture or distribute chemical abortion pills in the state.
SB 6 was one of 10 bills passed “in a marathon floor session” Aug. 12 after Gov. Greg Abbott convened it, as the Center Square reported. The bills included texts for disaster preparedness and flood recovery support and a new congressional map that would add five Republican seats.
In a separate comment about the special session’s efficiency, Patrick reiterated his statement that the House Democrats have a choice between returning to Texas to complete the jobs they were elected for, “or continue their ‘vacation,’ staging a media circus while mingling with blue-state governors who oppose Texas values.”
“Let me be clear: the Texas Senate will keep passing the bills on Gov. Abbott’s call, special session after special session, over and over again, until House Democrats return to fulfill their duty to the people of Texas,” he said, according to the Center Square.
CatholicVote reported Aug. 6 that Abbott filed an emergency lawsuit with the Texas Supreme Court to remove the House Democrats who left Texas Aug. 3 in an effort to block the congressional redistricting plan. On Aug. 4 Abbot ordered state police to arrest the absent Democrats. The Texas House voted 85-6 the same day to authorize civil arrest warrants for them.
“By fleeing the state,” Abbott said in an Aug. 4 announcement of the arrest order, “Texas House Democrats are holding hostage critical legislation to aid flood victims and advance property tax relief. There are consequences for dereliction of duty.”