‘Bounty Hunter’ Bill? Texas Democrats Call New Abortion Pill Lawsuit Bill a ‘Transgression’

A bill introduced by Mineola Senator Bryan Hughes is being considered by the Senate State Affairs Committee that would permit any Texan to bring legal action against manufacturers or distributors of abortion-inducing medication. The mechanism mirrors the enforcement model established by the 2021 “Heartbeat Bill,” which enabled private citizens to sue abortion providers—a strategy Hughes noted was “the first pro-life law in 50 years that the US Supreme Court allowed to stand.” He emphasized that the aim of the new legislation, SB 6, is to target companies supplying these drugs, particularly those in abortion-legal states, in order to “go directly to the pocketbooks” of those sending the pills to Texas.

The proposal specifies that it would not apply to legally indicated medical uses of these medications, such as in medically necessary abortions or other recognized non-abortive applications. The bill would authorize a Texas resident to sue entities that make or distribute the drugs within the state, and successful suits would carry a minimum penalty of $100,000.

Hughes stated the measure is not aimed at penalizing women who use the medication, noting, “The moms are victims here.” He underscored concerns that FDA guidance had become more permissive over time—reducing requirements such as doctor supervision and follow-up care—and that data from insurance claims indicates these pills may carry more complications than surgical abortions. The intent, according to Hughes, is to hold the manufacturers and distributors responsible for unsafe practices, not to prosecute women.

Texas Democrats criticized the bill’s approach. Dallas Democratic Senator Nathan Johnson decried on the Senate Floor that it as a “flagrant, brazen transgression of the principles … on which this country and state was founded,” bluntly condemning the legislation for undermining the separation of powers by limiting judicial review.

Also under committee review was a separate bill, SB 10, sponsored by Flower Mound Senator Tan Parker, which addresses the narrowness of current duress defenses available to victims of human trafficking. While Texas law recognizes duress only when facing immediate threats of death or serious bodily harm, SB 10 would broaden the definition to include victims coerced through emotional, financial, or psychological manipulation. It would exclude the most serious felony charges—known as “3G offenses”—from eligibility.