AI-assisted research summary: This section authorizes certain non-state persons to bring a qui tam action, but bars it in several listed situations and limits class actions, disclosure of sensitive information, and certain depositions.
Sec. 171A.101. QUI TAM ACTION AUTHORIZED. (a) A person, other than this state, a political subdivision of this state, or an officer or employee of this state or a political subdivision of this state, has standing to bring and may bring a qui tam action against a person who: (1) violates Section 171A.051; or (2) intends to violate Section 171A.051. (b) An action brought under this section must be brought in the name of the qui tam relator, who is an assignee of this state's claim for relief. Notwithstanding any other law, the transfer of this state's claim to the qui tam relator is absolute, with the state retaining no interest in the subject matter of the claim. (c) A qui tam relator may not bring an action under this section if the action is preempted by 47 U.S.C. Section 230(c). (d) A qui tam action may not be brought under this section: (1) against a woman for using, obtaining, or seeking to obtain abortion-inducing drugs to abort or attempt to abort her unborn child; (2) against a person acting under the direction of a federal agency, contractor, or employee who is carrying out a duty under federal law if the imposition of liability would violate the doctrine of preemption or intergovernmental immunity; (3) by any person who: (A) impregnated a woman through conduct constituting sexual assault under Section 22.011, Penal Code, or aggravated sexual assault under Section 22.021, Penal Code; (B) committed an offense for which an affirmative finding of family violence was made under Article 42.013, Code of Criminal Procedure; (C) provided an abortion-inducing drug to a pregnant woman for the purpose of performing, inducing, or attempting an abortion without the woman's consent or knowledge; (D) has been convicted of an offense under Section 42.072, Penal Code; or (E) acts in concert or participation with a person described by this subdivision; (4) against a transportation network company or a driver for using a transportation network company's digital network to provide a digitally prearranged ride; (5) against a delivery network company or a delivery person for using a delivery network company's digital network to provide a digitally prearranged delivery; (6) against an air carrier conducting domestic or flag operations under 14 C.F.R. Part 121 or a foreign air carrier conducting scheduled operations under 14 C.F.R. Part 129; (7) against a person to whom this chapter does not apply and against whom a civil action under this chapter may not be brought under Section 171A.002(a); (8) against a health care provider or physician, unless the qui tam relator pleads and proves that the provider or physician engaged in conduct constituting a violation of Section 171A.051 while located outside this state; or (9) against a pharmaceutical manufacturer, pharmaceutical distributor, or common carrier, unless the qui tam relator pleads and proves that the defendant failed to adopt and implement a policy to not distribute, mail, transport, deliver, provide, or possess abortion-inducing drugs other than for one or more of the purposes described by Section 171A.002(a)(9). (e) Notwithstanding any other law, including rules of civil procedure adopted under Chapter 26, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, an action brought under this section may not be litigated on behalf of a claimant class or a defendant class, and a court may not certify a class in the action. (f) In an action brought under this chapter, a qui tam relator or a defendant against whom an action is brought under this section may not, without the consent of the person to whom the information belongs, publicly disclose or improperly obtain: (1) any personally identifiable information of a pregnant woman who sought or obtained an abortion-inducing drug from a defendant against whom a qui tam action is brought under this section, including any written, electronic, audio, or visual document or media that identifies the pregnant woman; (2) any information protected from public disclosure under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (Pub. L. No. 104-191) and regulations adopted under that Act; or (3) any personal data of a pregnant woman who sought or obtained an abortion-inducing drug from a defendant against whom a qui tam action is brought under this section that is protected from public disclosure under federal or state law. (g) Notwithstanding any other law, a court may not order in response to the filing of a petition by a qui tam relator the taking of a deposition under Rule 202, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, of a woman who is the subject of a violation of Section 171A.051 unless the woman consents to the deposition. Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 5 (H.B. 7), Sec. 2, eff. December 4, 2025.