The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Texas HB 1578 creates new medical and sexual assault exceptions to abortion prohibitions and requires the Texas Medical Board to publish qualifying conditions
Last action · March 12, 2025: Referred to Public HealthSponsor: Morales Shaw
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What This Bill Proposed
Texas HB 1578 establishes statutory exceptions allowing licensed physicians to perform abortions when necessary to prevent serious harm to a pregnant patient's health or when the pregnancy resulted from sexual assault, effective September 1, 2025. The measure requires the Texas Medical Board to publish and annually update a public list of qualifying medical conditions. Additionally, the legislation repeals existing provisions under Section 170A.002(b) and Chapter 6-1/2 of Title 71 of the Revised Statutes.
Licensed physicians face revised legal parameters for performing abortions without facing criminal prosecution, and pregnant patients gain access to abortion care under newly defined medical and sexual assault criteria. The Texas Medical Board assumes an administrative mandate to compile and maintain a public directory of eligible medical conditions.
- Texas law previously restricted abortion exceptions strictly to circumstances necessary to save the life of a pregnant female or prevent substantial impairment of a major bodily function. context
- The Texas Medical Board is the state agency responsible for licensing and disciplining physicians practicing medicine in Texas. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Licensed physicians
Licensed physicians gain specific statutory exceptions to perform abortions under defined medical and sexual assault circumstances without criminal liability.
Pregnant patients
Pregnant patients gain lawful access to abortion services under expanded health and sexual assault exceptions while remaining legally immune from prosecution.
Texas Medical Board
The Texas Medical Board is mandated to publish and annually update a public list of medical conditions posing a risk of serious harm.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What new exceptions does HB 1578 create for abortions?
Does the bill permit prosecution of the pregnant patient?
What is required of the Texas Medical Board under this legislation?
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.
Procedural history
3 actions- Mar 12, 2025HouseCommitteeReferred to Public Health
- Mar 12, 2025HouseIntroducedRead first time
- Dec 11, 2024HouseIntroducedFiled
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expansion of Statutory Abortion Exceptions
The measure broadens existing exceptions by permitting abortions to prevent serious health risks and in cases of sexual assault, moving beyond previous limitations restricted to preventing death or substantial impairment of a major bodily function.
Connected Entities
Sources
capitol.texas.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 85)
- Controversy95Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz75Current news / social attention level
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