Gov. Greg Abbott has seized on a recent tragedy to push extreme legislation that has little to do with flood recovery and everything to do with his long-standing goal: ending abortion entirely.
In the wake of catastrophic flooding that killed at least 135 Texans and displaced many more, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has called state lawmakers back to the Capitol for a special legislative session. But instead of prioritizing recovery and emergency relief, policymakers are using this tragedy to push through a slate of dangerous bills to escalate their attacks on reproductive freedom, especially for teens.
Among the governor’s priorities are two proposals that failed during the regular session: one that would effectively ban abortion pills (HB 65, a version of SB 2880), and another that would criminalize anyone who helps a teen travel out of state for abortion care without parental consent (HB 70, a version of SB 2352). That could mean driving them, buying a bus ticket or even chipping in towards gas money.
The fact that lawmakers are bringing these bills back in the middle of a disaster shows how determined they are to control Texans’ bodies, no matter the harm.
Under Texas’ abortion ban, young people are already forced to travel out of state to access care. For many, this means missing school and work, and covering transportation and medical costs. And while these barriers are hard on everyone, they fall heavily on teens in unsafe family situations, the juvenile legal system, or in foster care.
Even in this landscape, state lawmakers continue to escalate their attacks on teens—now by trying to criminalize anyone who helps them. SB 2352 threatened harsh punishments including felony charges, massive fines, and even prison, for giving your friend money for gas or a plane ticket. While legislators claim to be protecting young people, this is about controlling them and isolating them from the people who care.
These extreme proposals are also at the center of a broader political standoff in Texas. In early August, over 50 Democratic lawmakers fled the state to block a quorum in the House, halting progress on the governor’s agenda—including these abortion-related bills. In response, Republican leadership voted to authorize civil arrest warrants to compel their return, escalating tensions at the Capitol.
At Jane’s Due Process (JDP), we see the effects of these policies every day. Since 2001, we’ve offered legal and practical support to teens navigating reproductive healthcare in Texas. As one of the only organizations in the country to provide full spectrum reproductive support to teens, we hear directly from young people about their questions and needs. We know that many of them feel confused about their rights and are unsure of where to turn for help. In 2024 alone, nearly 6,000 teens reached out to us, in many cases to ask if abortion was still legal in the state.
Young people are speaking up about how much this impacts them. In our recent survey conducted in partnership with PENTA, 77 percent of the Texas teens we surveyed believe their reproductive rights are important, but fewer than half feel they understand what those rights are, including current laws or available care options. Fewer than one in three teens surveyed knew how to find accurate information.
These findings reflect what we hear from young people seeking care in our intake forms, helpline texts and DM conversations every day as they attempt to navigate a system designed by state lawmakers to scare, confuse and isolate them.
That’s why we aren’t just fighting back—we’re building something that policymakers can’t destroy. At JDP, our work is shaped by those we support and the young leaders in our community. In addition to funding travel out of state, we also have a confidential text line for anyone seeking information on abortion, birth control and family planning, without judgment or stigma. And because we believe that young people deserve to have complete control over their pregnancy decisions, we recently launched a program to support young parents—and we hosted our first event providing resources to families in Dallas this past May. We are working towards a future where teens have full reproductive freedom and autonomy over their healthcare decisions.
That future also includes joy. Earlier this year, we hosted our biggest event yet, bringing together hundreds of young people from across the state to access resources, join the fight for reproductive justice, and most importantly, experience joy and connection with their community. As policymakers worked to file these bills, we created a space where people exchanged real tools and care, and where trans youth, young parents, and teens navigating abortion bans were reminded that they are not alone.
In our recent survey … 77 percent of the Texas teens we surveyed believe their reproductive rights are important, but fewer than half feel they understand what those rights are, including current laws or available care options.
This isn’t about one bill, or even one state. What’s happening in Texas is part of a broader strategy to attack abortion funds, criminalize community care, and expand the playbook to end abortion access for everyone, everywhere. Antiabortion policymakers are using Texas and other states as the testing ground for their most extreme legislation. After all, this bill comes after a similar law in Idaho went into effect last year—a sign that this strategy is already spreading across the country. And what starts with teens won’t stop there. As Jessica Valenti has written, what happens to teens today comes for the rest of us tomorrow.
But we know what these politicians don’t: Teens are not powerless, and they are creating a better future for us all. The young people in our youth leadership programs are leading advocacy efforts, testifying at the Capitol against harmful bills, and using their stories to make a difference. And as these attacks continue, we will keep doing what we’ve always done: handing out Plan B and birth control information, offering legal and practical support, and telling young people the truth—that they are not alone, and they deserve care without fear, shame or punishment, no matter what choices they make.
Caring for each other isn’t new work. It’s what has always kept our communities safe. And it’s what will carry us forward.
A note from Ms. editors: Medication abortion is legal, safe and available in all 50 states. The organization Plan C has a comprehensive guide to finding abortion pills on their website, which is continually updated and has all the latest information on where to find abortion pills from anywhere in the U.S.
