Today, Texas House Republicans approved House Bill 16, also known as the Texas Born-Alive Infant Protection Act, by Representative Jeff Leach. House Bill 16 strengthens the protections for infants who survive abortion procedures by requiring the same standards of diligent, professional medical care be afforded to the baby.

"What we have recently seen in Virginia, New York and Washington, D.C., should shock the collective conscience of our Nation. The callous disregard for human life and the refusal to stand against infanticide exhibited by many elected leaders cannot go unanswered. With the passage of the 'Texas Born-Alive Infant Protection Act,' the Lone Star State is sending a clear message that we will not remain silent and we will not rest in the fight for life.  As the author of House Bill 16, I am proud to join my colleagues in setting in stone the strongest protections in the Nation for babies who survive abortion and, along with them, invite and encourage pro-life legislators in other states to follow Texas’ lead,” said Representative Jeff Leach.

Today, the Texas House of Representatives approved House Bill 14 by Representative Lynn Stucky. This legislation provides future law enforcement officers with a student loan repayment assistance program.

"House Bill 14 will help flip the recent trend of peace officer shortages across the state. It is critical that we are able to attract new young and talented individuals to protect and serve our communities," said Representative Lynn Stucky.

Today, the Texas House of Representatives approved several pieces of key legislation addressing disaster recovery and emergency preparedness. In the wake of the devastation left behind by Hurricane Harvey in 2017, House Republicans made these issues a top priority to address during the 86th Legislative Session.

The Texas House has made it clear that the state is ready to devise long-term planning that will assist in the management of future emergency situations. With the passage of more than a dozen bills on the subject, the Texas House has initiated the development of a disaster recovery task force, provided debris management and disposal planning, created a flood infrastructure fund for state planned flood resiliency projects, and addressed many other issues related to emergency preparedness.