Texas Senate Democrats On Passage Of Senate Bill 31

Austin, TX—The Texas Senate Democratic Caucus released the following statement on passage of Senate Bill 31, the Life of the Mother Act:

Today’s passage of Senate Bill 31 marks a critical step toward addressing Texas’ maternal health crisis. This bill provides long-overdue clarity for physicians and hospitals forced to navigate a vague and dangerous legal landscape since the state’s abortion ban took effect in 2022.

Pregnant women across Texas have been compelled to carry dangerous pregnancies to term, risking serious complications, long-term health impairment and even death. S.B. 31 aims to restore evidence-based medical decision-making by allowing doctors to act when they determine that continuing a pregnancy endangers a woman’s life or risks impairment to a major bodily function. Notably, codifying the Texas Supreme Court's recent decisions, the bill specifies language that the risk of death does not need to be imminent and clarifies that a doctor does not need to wait to treat a pregnant woman until she is physically suffering or harmed.

At our request, S.B. 31 also clarifies that it does not settle the question of whether the 1925 abortion law remains in effect, deferring that issue to the courts. It includes vital protections, reaffirming that women cannot be prosecuted for seeking abortion care and requires courts to follow long-standing judicial precedents dating back to 1880.

Doctors have asked for clarity. Patients have demanded protection. S.B. 31 delivers both. It puts life-saving decisions back in the hands of medical professionals—not politicians—and it removes the legal uncertainty that has threatened care across the state.

We recognize this bill does not go far enough. It does not address cases of rape, incest or lethal fetal diagnoses. It does not repeal the abortion ban. As Senate Democrats, we reaffirm our commitment to continuing the fight for full reproductive freedom in Texas. S.B. 31 is not the end—it’s the beginning of restoring dignity, clarity and life-saving care for Texas women and their families.