Research summary
Research summary
Topic summary
Map James Talarico’s votes and statements on Texas abortion law, exceptions, and enforcement.
Key research questions
- Investigate "Texas Senate: Ken Paxton vs.
Important claims and supporting citations
In 2019, Talarico registered a 'present, not voting' vote on Texas House Bill 16, a measure requiring physicians to provide medical care to infants who survive abortion attempts.
Texas HB 16 established penalties for physicians refusing treatment to surviving infants, including a third-degree felony carrying 2 to 10 years in prison and attorney general civil penalties of at least $100,000.
Texas Right to Life gave James Talarico a 0% score for the 86th Legislature based on two items: his 'present, not voting' position on HB 16 and his vote opposing funding for the Alternatives to Abortion program.
In the 89th Texas Legislature in 2025, Talarico authored HJR 204 to prohibit the legislature from restricting abortion and related healthcare, as well as a separate measure repealing certain abortion regulations.
Texas Alliance for Life awarded Talarico a 42% legislative score for the 89th Legislature, diverging from Texas Right to Life's 0% rating.
Texas Right to Life's 2019 legislative scorecard recorded James Talarico as voting 'Present, Not Voting' on HB 16, accusing him of refusing to support medical care for infants surviving attempted abortions.
James Talarico authored HJR 56 in the 2023 legislative session proposing a constitutional amendment to bar the Texas Legislature from abridging abortion care decided in consultation with a physician.
Talarico voted against Texas SB 4 in 2021, which banned medication abortions after seven weeks and prohibited mailing medication abortion drugs.
Competing explanations
Texas Alliance for Life awarded Talarico a 42% legislative score for the 89th Legislature, diverging from Texas Right to Life's 0% rating.
Neither 'mother' nor 'gestating parent' appears anywhere in the introduced text of Texas HB 819.
Texas HB 819 proposed amending Health and Safety Code §171.206(b)(1) to replace 'a woman on whom an abortion is performed or induced' with 'a pregnant individual on whom an abortion is performed or induced', rather than replacing 'mother' with 'gestating parent'.
Fact-checkers identified an inaccuracy in Talarico's assertion that Texas' abortion ban covers situations when the life of the mother is at risk, pointing to statutory affirmative defense exceptions.
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Talarico contends abortion should be addressed through public health initiatives like sex education and free…
Talarico contends abortion should be addressed through public health initiatives like sex education and free contraception to lower pregnancy rates, rather than through criminal prohibition.
Labels: Inferred, Low
Talarico argued at a town hall that women in Texas are developing sepsis in hospital parking lots because amb…
Talarico argued at a town hall that women in Texas are developing sepsis in hospital parking lots because ambiguous statutory exceptions cause doctors to fear criminal prosecution.
Labels: Inferred, Low
James Talarico argued on The Joe Rogan Experience that the Annunciation in Luke establishes that creation req…
James Talarico argued on The Joe Rogan Experience that the Annunciation in Luke establishes that creation requires consent, linking Mary's consent to reproductive autonomy.
Labels: Inferred, Low
In 2019, Talarico registered a 'present, not voting' vote on Texas House Bill 16, a measure requiring physici…
In 2019, Talarico registered a 'present, not voting' vote on Texas House Bill 16, a measure requiring physicians to provide medical care to infants who survive abortion attempts.
Labels: Source-linked, High
In August 2025 during the 89th Texas Legislative Session, Talarico voted against House Bill 7, a bill restric…
In August 2025 during the 89th Texas Legislative Session, Talarico voted against House Bill 7, a bill restricting abortion-inducing medications.
Labels: Inferred, Low
Talarico's campaign has campaigned against Ken Paxton's legal actions, including Paxton's petition to block K…
Talarico's campaign has campaigned against Ken Paxton's legal actions, including Paxton's petition to block Kate Cox's emergency abortion and his lawsuit challenging EMTALA emergency-abortion protections.
Labels: Inferred, Low
Talarico stated in an interview that proposing a total repeal of the Texas abortion ban is politically imposs…
Talarico stated in an interview that proposing a total repeal of the Texas abortion ban is politically impossible, contrasting with his filing of HB 819.
Labels: Source-linked, Medium
Talarico criticized Texas abortion law by calling it the most extreme in the country due to its lack of an ex…
Talarico criticized Texas abortion law by calling it the most extreme in the country due to its lack of an exception for rape.
Labels: Source-linked, Medium
In 2021, James Talarico voted against both the Texas 'heartbeat bill' (SB 8) and the Human Life Protection Ac…
In 2021, James Talarico voted against both the Texas 'heartbeat bill' (SB 8) and the Human Life Protection Act trigger ban.
Labels: Source-linked, Medium
Talarico voted against Texas SB 4 in 2021, which banned medication abortions after seven weeks and prohibited…
Talarico voted against Texas SB 4 in 2021, which banned medication abortions after seven weeks and prohibited mailing medication abortion drugs.
Labels: Source-linked, Medium
Fact-checkers identified an inaccuracy in Talarico's assertion that Texas' abortion ban covers situations whe…
Fact-checkers identified an inaccuracy in Talarico's assertion that Texas' abortion ban covers situations when the life of the mother is at risk, pointing to statutory affirmative defense exceptions.
Labels: Contested, Medium
In the 89th Texas Legislature in 2025, Talarico authored HJR 204 to prohibit the legislature from restricting…
In the 89th Texas Legislature in 2025, Talarico authored HJR 204 to prohibit the legislature from restricting abortion and related healthcare, as well as a separate measure repealing certain abortion regulations.
Labels: Source-linked, Medium
Texas Right to Life scored Talarico's legislative voting record at 0% in 2019, 5% in 2021, 15% in 2023, and 0…
Texas Right to Life scored Talarico's legislative voting record at 0% in 2019, 5% in 2021, 15% in 2023, and 0% in 2025.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
James Talarico authored Texas House Bill 819 during the 88th Legislature in 2023, captioned 'Relating to the…
James Talarico authored Texas House Bill 819 during the 88th Legislature in 2023, captioned 'Relating to the repeal of laws prohibiting abortion.'
Labels: Source-linked, Medium
Planned Parenthood Texas Votes endorsed James Talarico in both the primary and general elections in 2024.
Planned Parenthood Texas Votes endorsed James Talarico in both the primary and general elections in 2024.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
In 2019, Talarico voted against Texas SB 22 prohibiting taxpayer funding of abortion providers, proposed amen…
In 2019, Talarico voted against Texas SB 22 prohibiting taxpayer funding of abortion providers, proposed amendments to weaken the bill, and voted against an amendment permitting local abortion bans.
Labels: Source-linked, Medium
House Joint Resolution 56
House Joint Resolution 56
Labels: Inferred, Low
Town Hall Statements on Faith and Abortion
Town Hall Statements on Faith and Abortion
Labels: Inferred, Low
Federal Policy Stances on Abortion Access
Federal Policy Stances on Abortion Access
Labels: Inferred, Low
Texas Alliance for Life awarded Talarico a 42% legislative score for the 89th Legislature, diverging from Tex…
Texas Alliance for Life awarded Talarico a 42% legislative score for the 89th Legislature, diverging from Texas Right to Life's 0% rating.
Labels: Contested, Low
Texas Right to Life's 2019 legislative scorecard recorded James Talarico as voting 'Present, Not Voting' on H…
Texas Right to Life's 2019 legislative scorecard recorded James Talarico as voting 'Present, Not Voting' on HB 16, accusing him of refusing to support medical care for infants surviving attempted abortions.
Labels: Source-linked, Medium
James Talarico authored HJR 56 in the 2023 legislative session proposing a constitutional amendment to bar th…
James Talarico authored HJR 56 in the 2023 legislative session proposing a constitutional amendment to bar the Texas Legislature from abridging abortion care decided in consultation with a physician.
Labels: Source-linked, Medium
Texas HB 16 was signed by Governor Greg Abbott on June 14, 2019, taking effect on September 1, 2019.
Texas HB 16 was signed by Governor Greg Abbott on June 14, 2019, taking effect on September 1, 2019.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
HB 819 included provisions to adjust statutory wording to gender-neutral terms, replacing 'mother' with 'gest…
HB 819 included provisions to adjust statutory wording to gender-neutral terms, replacing 'mother' with 'gestating parent.'
Labels: Inferred, High
Texas Democratic state senators Eddie Lucio Jr.
Texas Democratic state senators Eddie Lucio Jr. and Judith Zaffirini voted in favor of HB 16 alongside all 19 Republican senators.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
Talarico's platform for the U.S.
Talarico's platform for the U.S. Senate includes codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law and enacting statutory federal protections for contraception and in vitro fertilization.
Labels: Inferred, Low
The enrolled certification for Texas HB 16 records that the House passed the bill on April 17, 2019 by 94 Yea…
The enrolled certification for Texas HB 16 records that the House passed the bill on April 17, 2019 by 94 Yeas, 2 Nays, and 49 Present, Not Voting.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
Young Conservatives of Texas logged James Talarico's 'Present, Not Voting' stance on HB 16 as House Record Vo…
Young Conservatives of Texas logged James Talarico's 'Present, Not Voting' stance on HB 16 as House Record Vote 1727, representing the May 23, 2019 concurrence vote on Senate amendments.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
Roughly 50 Texas House Democrats registered as 'present, not voting' on HB 16 as an organized caucus protest…
Roughly 50 Texas House Democrats registered as 'present, not voting' on HB 16 as an organized caucus protest against the bill.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
Between 2013, when complication reporting began, and 2019, Texas recorded zero instances of infants born aliv…
Between 2013, when complication reporting began, and 2019, Texas recorded zero instances of infants born alive following an abortion.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
HB 819 proposed barring the prosecution of a pregnant individual undergoing an abortion and aimed to eliminat…
HB 819 proposed barring the prosecution of a pregnant individual undergoing an abortion and aimed to eliminate Texas statutes regulating or prohibiting abortion.
Labels: Source-linked, Medium
Texas Right to Life gave James Talarico a 0% score for the 86th Legislature based on two items: his 'present,…
Texas Right to Life gave James Talarico a 0% score for the 86th Legislature based on two items: his 'present, not voting' position on HB 16 and his vote opposing funding for the Alternatives to Abortion program.
Labels: Source-linked, Medium
Talarico advocated for abolishing the Senate filibuster to expedite the federal protection of abortion care.
Talarico advocated for abolishing the Senate filibuster to expedite the federal protection of abortion care.
Labels: Inferred, Medium
Representative Jeff Leach filed the Texas Born-Alive Infant Protection Act (HB 16) on March 7, 2019, alongsid…
Representative Jeff Leach filed the Texas Born-Alive Infant Protection Act (HB 16) on March 7, 2019, alongside co-authors Greg Bonnen, Stephanie Klick, Tom Oliverson, and Geanie Morrison, with Lois Kolkhorst serving as Senate sponsor.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
When asked at a town hall about the commandment 'Thou shalt not kill,' Talarico responded that if he believed…
When asked at a town hall about the commandment 'Thou shalt not kill,' Talarico responded that if he believed abortion was murder under the Ten Commandments he would not support it, adding that faithful Christians can reach differing moral conclusions.
Labels: Inferred, Low
On May 23, 2019, the Texas House concurred in Senate amendments to HB 16 by a vote of 84 Yeas, 57 Nays, and 2…
On May 23, 2019, the Texas House concurred in Senate amendments to HB 16 by a vote of 84 Yeas, 57 Nays, and 2 Present, Not Voting.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
Texas HB 16 established penalties for physicians refusing treatment to surviving infants, including a third-d…
Texas HB 16 established penalties for physicians refusing treatment to surviving infants, including a third-degree felony carrying 2 to 10 years in prison and attorney general civil penalties of at least $100,000.
Labels: Source-linked, Medium
Texas HB 16 mandates the establishment of a physician-patient relationship with an infant born alive during a…
Texas HB 16 mandates the establishment of a physician-patient relationship with an infant born alive during an abortion and requires the physician to ensure the infant is immediately transferred to a hospital.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
Texas State Representative Michelle Beckley publicly stated she and 50 Democratic colleagues registered 'Pres…
Texas State Representative Michelle Beckley publicly stated she and 50 Democratic colleagues registered 'Present Not Voting' on HB 16 because the measure was about Republican scorecards rather than women's health policy.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
Talarico opposed an amendment to Texas SB 22 that sought to prohibit hospitals performing elective abortions…
Talarico opposed an amendment to Texas SB 22 that sought to prohibit hospitals performing elective abortions from receiving public tax funds.
Labels: Source-linked, Medium
During an October 14, 2026 town hall in Fort Worth hosted by CNN and Jubilee Media, Talarico asserted that th…
During an October 14, 2026 town hall in Fort Worth hosted by CNN and Jubilee Media, Talarico asserted that the Bible is silent on abortion and that Jesus never addressed the procedure.
Labels: Inferred, Low
CDC data indicated that 143 infants were born alive following attempted induced terminations between 2003 and…
CDC data indicated that 143 infants were born alive following attempted induced terminations between 2003 and 2014 across the United States, with 97 cases involving maternal complications or congenital anomalies.
Labels: Inferred, Low
The enacted caption of Texas HB 16 in 2019 defined the measure as relating to the enforcement of the rights o…
The enacted caption of Texas HB 16 in 2019 defined the measure as relating to the enforcement of the rights of a living unborn child after an abortion, establishing a criminal offense and civil liability.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
Talarico publicly called on President Joe Biden to use federal buildings to provide abortion care to women li…
Talarico publicly called on President Joe Biden to use federal buildings to provide abortion care to women living in red states.
Labels: Inferred, Medium
Texas HB 819's proposed statutory changes were contingent on voter approval of a constitutional amendment lim…
Texas HB 819's proposed statutory changes were contingent on voter approval of a constitutional amendment limiting legislative prohibitions on abortion scheduled for January 1, 2024.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
Texas HB 902, enacted in 2019, utilized the phrase 'a pregnant individual' in an aggravated assault statute r…
Texas HB 902, enacted in 2019, utilized the phrase 'a pregnant individual' in an aggravated assault statute regarding abortion coercion.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
Direct statutory amendments in Texas HB 819 were limited to two subsections of the Texas Heartbeat Act (Healt…
Direct statutory amendments in Texas HB 819 were limited to two subsections of the Texas Heartbeat Act (Health and Safety Code §§171.206(b) and 171.207(b)), alongside repeals of five statutory units.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
New York bill A8382-A/S9316 proposed replacing references to 'mother' in the Family Court Act §522 with 'gest…
New York bill A8382-A/S9316 proposed replacing references to 'mother' in the Family Court Act §522 with 'gestating parent' or 'alleged non-gestating parent'.
Labels: Inferred, Medium
Texas SB 203, introduced in 2023 by Senator Sarah Eckhardt and others, used the term 'pregnant individual' in…
Texas SB 203, introduced in 2023 by Senator Sarah Eckhardt and others, used the term 'pregnant individual' in provisions concerning medical prioritization over fetal health without using 'gestating parent'.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
Texas HB 819 was filed by James Talarico on November 29, 2022, and referred to the House State Affairs commit…
Texas HB 819 was filed by James Talarico on November 29, 2022, and referred to the House State Affairs committee on March 1, 2023, where it saw no further legislative action.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
Texas HB 819 exists only in an introduced version on Texas Legislature Online, with no subsequent committee s…
Texas HB 819 exists only in an introduced version on Texas Legislature Online, with no subsequent committee substitute, engrossed, or enrolled versions.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
HJR 56 died in the Texas House State Affairs Committee on February 28, 2023, after proposing a November 7, 20…
HJR 56 died in the Texas House State Affairs Committee on February 28, 2023, after proposing a November 7, 2023 referendum date.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
The official legislative caption of Texas HB 819 was 'Relating to the repeal of laws prohibiting abortion.'
The official legislative caption of Texas HB 819 was 'Relating to the repeal of laws prohibiting abortion.'
Labels: Source-linked, Low
The phrasing in Texas HB 819 §1 appeared specifically within an exemption shielding individuals on whom an ab…
The phrasing in Texas HB 819 §1 appeared specifically within an exemption shielding individuals on whom an abortion is performed, induced, or attempted from lawsuits or prosecution.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
Neither 'mother' nor 'gestating parent' appears anywhere in the introduced text of Texas HB 819.
Neither 'mother' nor 'gestating parent' appears anywhere in the introduced text of Texas HB 819.
Labels: Contested, Medium
Texas HB 819 included no statutory definition or construction rules for the term 'pregnant individual'.
Texas HB 819 included no statutory definition or construction rules for the term 'pregnant individual'.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
A June 12, 2026 Political Bytes article juxtaposed James Talarico's 'pregnant individual' bill with New York'…
A June 12, 2026 Political Bytes article juxtaposed James Talarico's 'pregnant individual' bill with New York's 'gestating parent' legislation.
Labels: Source-linked, Low
Texas HB 819 proposed amending Health and Safety Code §171.206(b)(1) to replace 'a woman on whom an abortion…
Texas HB 819 proposed amending Health and Safety Code §171.206(b)(1) to replace 'a woman on whom an abortion is performed or induced' with 'a pregnant individual on whom an abortion is performed or induced', rather than replacing 'mother' with 'gestating parent'.
Labels: Contested, Medium