SB 22 Delivers Another Victory Against Planned Parenthood

From blocking Planned Parenthood radical sex education in Austin ISD, to restricting government contracts and funding with abortion providers, SB 22 has been the bill that keeps on giving.

It has recently been reported that state employees were allowed to donate a portion of their paychecks directly to Planned Parenthood through a program called the State Employee Charitable Campaign. The program would automatically deduct an amount, set by the employee, from their pay and donate it to the organization of their choosing. Planned Parenthood has said they were receiving roughly $180,000 a year through this program. Thanks to a new opinion from Attorney General Ken Paxton, because state employees are paid by your tax dollars, these donations are now illegal because of SB 22.

SB 22 was originally designed as a pro-life bill that would prohibit governments in Texas from having any transactions with abortion providers or their affiliates. This was designed as a response to the City of Austin giving Planned Parenthood rent in a government building for $1 a year for 20 years. Texas Values had testified in front of the Austin City Council against this sweetheart deal, and worked throughout the legislative process to get SB2 2 passed.

Once signed into law by Gov. Abbott, we began to see beneficial ripple effects in other areas too. SB22 was cited by Austin ISD as the reason they could no longer use Planned Parenthood’s “Get Real” sex education curriculum and had to go back to the drawing board. Unfortunately, the new curriculum they came up with was worse, and possibly still illegal, but kicking Planned Parenthood out of Austin is a victory that should not be overlooked.

As the State Board of Education is undertaking its normal review process of Health Standards (called Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS) it’s also good to know SB 22 will prohibit materials from Planned Parenthood being included in public schools for all Texas children.  Liberal groups across Texas are calling this review a “once in a lifetime opportunity” so we cannot let up the pressure, despite this good news.

Because Texas Values is the leader on the issues of religious liberty, marriage and family, as well as life in Texas, we look forward to continuing to use SB 22 to protect life and keep abortion providers far away from our children.