Texas’ Firm Resistance to Postal Abortion Medication.

The Texas state government has enacted the Woman and Child Protection Act, also known as HB7, in an effort to bolster its commitment towards safeguarding unborn lives and promoting women’s health. This legislation, implemented on December 4, 2025, empowers private citizens to sue those involved in delivering chemical abortion pills through mail or other means.

The law was created as a response to the growing availability and misuse of chemical abortion pills, mifepristone and misoprostol. These drugs are used to terminate early-stage pregnancies, and their easy accessibility via mail order has raised significant concerns among Texas lawmakers. The main argument supporting the ban on these drugs is aimed at preventing health risks, ensuring state laws are not circumvented, and affirming the state’s commitment to protecting unborn lives.

Civil enforcement through lawsuits with potential damages of up to $100,000 per violation is permitted under HB7. The goal is to deter illegal distribution of abortion-inducing drugs, ensuring external entities do not undermine Texas’ pro-life policies.

Chemical abortions, which account for over half of all U.S. abortions, present a new challenge. These medications are often mailed from states with lax regulations or from overseas, enabling many Texans to access at-home abortions and circumvent clinic-based restrictions. Therefore, HB7 is designed to target manufacturers, distributors, prescribers, and even those who facilitate these drug shipments, while expressly exempting pregnant women from liability.

The law also protects Texas’ sovereignty amidst growing interstate disputes concerning abortion. It serves as a model for other pro-life states, asserting that external jurisdictions cannot invalidate Texas’ laws. Critics of HB7, however, claim the law infringes on privacy and incentivizes frivolous lawsuits, despite safeguard measures including evidence requirements and identity protection.