H.B. No. 163 aims to enhance the legal protections for unborn children in Texas by affirming their rights and establishing criminal liability for actions that harm them. The bill emphasizes the sanctity of life from the moment of fertilization, aligning with the U.S. Constitution's equal protection clause. It proposes to repeal existing laws that allow for prenatal homicide and coercion of pregnant women into abortions. Additionally, the bill amends the definition of "individual" in the Penal Code to include unborn children at all stages of development, and it introduces new sections that clarify the applicability of criminal laws to offenses against unborn victims.

The legislation also includes specific provisions that exempt unintentional injuries or deaths of unborn children resulting from lifesaving procedures for pregnant mothers or spontaneous miscarriages from criminal liability. It repeals certain existing sections of the Penal Code and Civil Practice and Remedies Code that may conflict with these new protections. The changes will only apply to offenses committed after the bill's effective date, ensuring that prior offenses are governed by the laws in effect at that time. The act is set to take effect 91 days after the conclusion of the legislative session.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Penal Code 1.07, Civil Practice and Remedies Code 71.003 (Penal Code 1, Civil Practice and Remedies Code 71)