This isn't just a horrifically-misleading headline, it's straight-up false.

The bill originally was written to directly establish personhood of a fetus, but Democrats got an amendment in that keeps the "pregnant mothers get to use the carpool lane" part, without the language that establishes personhood for a fetus. They literally called the Republicans' bluff on "this bill is about supporting mothers", by making that specific. This caused one Republican to retract his vote, because the amendment "guts the pro-life purpose of the bill".

IMHO, HOV lanes were originally intended to encourage carpooling and getting cars off the road. Since nobody under 16 could even potentially be (legally) driving on their own, they shouldn't count as occupants at all.

Two+ adults required.

This is sexist against fathers and therefore unconstitutional.

Bill text:

Sec. 545.429. USE OF HIGH OCCUPANCY VEHICLE LANE BY CERTAIN OPERATORS. (a) Subject to Subsection (b), a female operator of a motor vehicle who is pregnant or is a parent or legal guardian of another person is entitled to use any high occupancy vehicle lane in this state regardless of the number of occupants in the motor vehicle.

Texas Constitution:

ARTICLE 1. BILL OF RIGHTS

Sec. 3a. EQUALITY UNDER THE LAW. Equality under the law shall not be denied or abridged because of sex, race, color, creed, or national origin. This amendment is self-operative.

What this would actually do (once the test case ruled that it would have to apply to fathers too) is destroy HOV lanes entirely by making everybody able to use them, since the state would have the burden of proof to show that the driver has never had children.

Fair game to collect life insurance on miscarriages now right? My wife has one every month or so, and why yes, I am the beneficiary.

Why help them establish that fetus=person?

(Edit: Having seen the other comments including the language of the bill, it makes more sense.)

Ma'am I need you to step out for a field pregnancy test please. STOP RESISTING PEE ON THE STICK

I want my state, a smaller blue state, to start using this same logic. Namely, I think we should, using donor cells and cloning techniques, arrange to have 100 million frozen embryos sitting in freezers in the state capital. Logically, if embryos are people, then those 100 million embryos should count as citizens for the sake of Congressional representation and federal funding.

How is everyone involved in this not mortally fucking embarrassed over even discussing this stupidity with any seriousness?

Play stupid games. Win stupid prizes.

But they won't let fetuses count toward your tax exemptions.

I don't know what's wrong with Texas. It's like NO ONE can't do shiut and they just let any dumb ass pass any laws they come up with on their christian fanatism cause I bet non of it is even endorced by God/Jesus or higher beings. It's like Ted Cruz and Abbot can pass any laws they want regardless of what the constituents wants and really wish. We're against Muslims and jihads stuff about how they treat women and their clothes they need to wear but this same texas republican fanatics are pushing in the exact same direction with all their supposedly religious laws, which are just plain bullshit. Just think about a law Ted Cruz passed not too long ago about restricting dildos to 6 per person, like why do you even need to do that with what purpose and how does that even help texas at all?

4 seat cars can now advertise as seating 36... 4 octomoms

I mean pregnant women get priority seats on busses. It would make sense they get priority lanes in traffic too. I dont see a big deal. I'm just glad they have HOV lanes at all.

Meanwhile in Georgia, they got rid of their HOV and bus lanes and made them into toll lanes for rich people.

What HOV lanes? They've turned every HOV into a managed toll lane.

Well this is fucking stupid.

Im a bit shocked they are ok with the "Creature attached to the womb" driving.

Next step: define sperms as fetuses

Claim the fetus on the taxes