By If/When/How and Jane's Due Process
Anti-abortion policy makers have filed a last-minute wave of dangerous anti-abortion bills that would weaponize the state against Texans who need abortions and their support networks – including a ban criminalizing abortion support for young people under the age of 18.
Texas’ compounding abortion bans already force minors to leave their state to access abortion. Now, policymakers in Texas are attacking our fundamental right to travel, isolating people who need abortion care from their support networks, and weaponizing state violence to stop people from leaving the state to get abortions.
As part of a larger effort to remove access to every remaining avenue to care, SB 2352 would make it a second-degree felony – punishable by 2-20 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000 – to “knowingly transport or fund the transportation of an unemancipated minor from Texas” to another state or country to obtain an abortion without written parental consent. On top of this, if the young person accesses the abortion, the person helping with transportation faces a first-degree felony charge and the possibility of life in prison. Helpers also face $100,000 in civil liabilities per violation.
“Texas policymakers are using their position of power to punish some of the most vulnerable young people in their state. If this bill becomes law, a young person who cannot safely disclose a pregnancy to their parent would be left with few options. This bill would criminalize the people they trust, including other members of their family. Young people already face impossible barriers to accessing abortion care – missing school, accessing transportation, affording care, and, for some, safely navigating all of this completely alone, it can be untenable,” said Jessica Goldberg, Senior Youth Access Counsel. “Helping someone access an abortion is an act of care, and it should never be a crime. With this bill, Texas legislators are using their office to subject young people to violence and isolate them from their safety nets.”
This focus on restricting young people’s ability to travel is only the first step in the larger goal of stopping every abortion.
“The goal of bans on abortion support, like all abortion bans, is to stop people from getting the abortions they need,” said Lucie Arvallo, Executive Director of Jane’s Due Process. “This bill is part of a broader pattern in Texas – alongside other legislation introduced this session and recent efforts to criminalize helpers – that aims to isolate abortion seekers and punish those who care for them. For minors, the stakes are even higher: with legal abortion banned and the judicial bypass process no longer available, many are left with no legal way to get the care they need. This affects all young people, but disproportionately harms those navigating unsafe family systems, in the juvenile legal system, or in foster care. Our fight against abortion bans must include rejecting those that target marginalized youth and their trusted supporters.”
SB 2352 is a part of a larger nationwide strategy to criminalize abortion support and cut young people off from their support networks.
“Texas lawmakers continue to weaponize state power to control abortion access—this time by targeting young people and those who support them. SB 2352 is a blatant attack on the right to travel, isolating minors and criminalizing those who help them get the care they need,” said Anna Rupani, Executive Director of Fund Texas Choice. “We have seen firsthand how abortion bans create nearly insurmountable barriers, forcing people to travel long distances, take time off work or school, and navigate overwhelming costs. Now, Texas is adding to its growing list of anti-abortion extremism by threatening young people with forced pregnancy, while punishing those who offer practical support. Even after SB8 and the fall of Roe, access to abortion for minors decreased significantly, leading to an increase in teen births. It is deeply hypocritical for Texas legislators to claim that a teenager is mature enough to become a parent, yet not mature enough to make their own healthcare decisions. We refuse to accept these cruel attacks. No one should be denied the ability to access abortion because of their zip code. Fund Texas Choice remains committed to fighting back because everyone deserves the right to make decisions about their own body and future.”
Abortion support bans incite fear, create confusion about what’s legal, and stop people from supporting their loved ones by threatening criminal punishment. If you want to talk to a lawyer about your legal rights to abortion, please contact our free and confidential Repro Legal Helpline.