TX SB256

Expands exceptions to Texas abortion prohibitions to allow abortions when a licensed physician determines the procedure is medically indicated, necessary to preserve the patient's life, necessary to preserve physical or mental health (including fertility), or requested due to lethal fetal anomaly or life-limiting diagnosis incompatible with life outside the womb without extraordinary medical intervention

Changes the medical judgment standard from "reasonable medical judgment" to "physician's best medical judgment" and prohibits medical review processes from overriding decisions made between a physician and pregnant patient or health care proxy

Updates statutory language by replacing "pregnant female" with "pregnant patient," "unborn child" with "embryo or fetus," and "physician" with "health care provider" in certain provisions regarding accidental injury or death during treatment

Repeals Chapter 6-1/2, Title 71 of the Revised Statutes (Texas's pre-Roe abortion prohibition statute) and removes certain definitions and affirmative defense provisions from current law

Takes effect immediately upon receiving two-thirds vote in both legislative chambers, otherwise takes effect September 1, 2025