Cecile Richards wanted to see for herself how much the religious right was expanding its influence in the halls of Texas government. So in January 1995, Cecile attended her first State Board of Education meeting, watching how religious-righters on the board were hijacking textbook adoptions to promote their political agenda. "It's worse than I imagined," she scribbled on a note to a friend at the meeting. One month later, on Feb. 17, 1995, Cecile founded the Texas Freedom Network as a counter to the radical right in this state. As we celebrate the organization's anniversary 25 years later, TFN is still that counter to far-right extremism -- but it's become so much more. Check out our press release today. Read More

While Texans were celebrating a new year, state Attorney General Ken Paxton decided to ring in 2020 with an ugly dose of anti-abortion politics. On Jan. 2 he quietly released a formal opinion suggesting that state law bars public employees from having donations to Planned Parenthood deducted from their paychecks. Check out our press release:…… Read More

  Progressive faith leaders are speaking out in support of women's access to all reproductive health care services, including abortion care. Today Just Texas, a project of the Texas Freedom Network, released an open letter signed by more than 170 clergy and faith leaders from across the state who oppose efforts to pass abortion bans in Texas towns. Read the press release here. Read More

The Texas Freedom Network has been at the State Board of Education to call for the adoption of an African American Studies course for Texas public schools. We just sent out the following press release. Read More

Texas investigators have ordered the anti-abortion Heidi Group to repay at least $1.5 million to taxpayers for overpayments and other alarming irregularities while contracted with the state to provide reproductive health care services to women. The group, which served only a fraction of the tens of thousands of women it promised to provide services for, got the money in the first place because anti-abortion lawmakers booted Planned Parenthood out of the state's women's health program four years ago. We just sent out the following press release pointing to how the Heidi Group scam highlights the dangers of playing politics with women's health. Read More