Latest news with #SummerWillisAct
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas bill to close sexual assault loophole scheduled for hearing before Senate committee
Content Warning: This article discusses sexual assault. Please return to the homepage if you are not comfortable with the topic. If you are in distress and need to speak with someone, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673. AUSTIN (KXAN) — A Texas House bill to close a loophole in the state's sexual assault laws is on the Senate Criminal Justice committee's agenda for Thursday, after its supporters made a push Tuesday for its consideration. Survivors urge Texas lawmakers to close sexual assault loophole before bill dies House Bill 3073, named the 'Summer Willis Act,' passed in the House on May 1 with only four representatives voting against it, according to legislative records. The bill's namesake was a University of Texas at Austin student whose sexual assault was not investigated or prosecuted. Willis is now an advocate, fighting to close the loophole she said kept her from getting justice. In February, Willis crawled a half marathon to raise awareness around sexual assault policy reform in her 'The Last Time We Crawl' campaign: The hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday and will feature public comments. Supporters of the bill who are expected to testify include Danny Wilson, the brother of Epstein survivor Virginia Giuffre; Katiana Soenen, a college sexual assault survivor; and Lavinia Masters, a nationally recognized survivor advocate. In 2019, a bill named after Masters led to changes in processing DNA testing kits. However, it is not confirmed whether or not the bill will receive a vote during the hearing. The Senate has until May 28 to consider the bill. KXAN will update this story following the hearing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Summer Willis Act' passes Texas House, needs Senate vote
The Brief Summer Willis Act passed Texas House, needs Senate vote scheduled Act is named for Summer Willis, a sexual assault survivor and activist Act clarifies that sex without clear, ongoing and informed consent is sexual assault AUSTIN, Texas - A sexual assault survivor is fighting for legislation to clarify the definition of consent. The bill has passed in the House but still needs to be scheduled for a vote in the Senate, or it will die this session. What we know House Bill 3073, also known as the Summer Willis Act, clarifies that sex without clear, ongoing, and informed consent, especially when someone is intoxicated or unable to resist, is sexual assault. The bill has passed in the House but needs to be heard in the Criminal Justice Committee and voted on before heading to the Senate. If it does make it to the Governor's desk, and he signs it, it will go into effect Sept. 1. What they're saying "Right now, Texas is saying the worst thing that ever happened to me does not count and to hear that, I have chills all over my body," sexual assault survivor and activist Summer Willis said. "None of us would think that it would make sense to engage in a contract with someone who was impaired. We would know that. And so this really is just common-sense legislation," state Sen. Angela Paxton said. "I've been making calls and connections, connecting with survivors, doing anything I can to make sure that for the first time in ten years that I can have justice, but so can survivors across Texas," Willis said. The backstory About 10 years ago, Summer Willis said she was at a frat party at UT Austin, was drugged by one person and raped by another. The case was never prosecuted. About two years ago, Willis started running. "This was for me to finally stop running away from the shadow of sexual assault and run towards healing," Willis said. She ran 29 marathons in a year. One marathon she ran with a mattress on her back. "Survivors are forced to carry an invisible weight every single day. The weight of what was done to us. In a world that too often refuses to believe us," Willis said. Willis said when she started telling her story, many other survivors shared theirs. "In the aftermath, I felt broken," survivor Sophia-Rose Centurioni said. "We must call this what it is and we must protect those too vulnerable to protect themselves in that moment," survivor Dr. Lavinia Masters said. "I started thinking, how can I actually help them? What can I change to make this better? Willis said. The Source Information in this report comes from reporting/interviews by FOX 7 Austin's Meredith Aldis.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Survivors urge Texas lawmakers to close sexual assault loophole before bill dies
Content Warning: This article discusses sexual assault. Please return to the homepage if you are not comfortable with the topic. If you are in distress and need to speak with someone, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673. AUSTIN (KXAN) — Sexual assault survivors and advocates said they would rally at the Texas Capitol Monday around 12:30 p.m. to voice support for a bill that could close a loop in the state's sex crime laws, according to a press release. House Bill 3073, named the 'Summer Willis Act,' passed in the House on May 1 with only four representatives voting against it, according to legislative records. It would add language to the Texas' sexual assault statute to include offenses while a victim is voluntarily intoxicated. 'Because of gaps in Texas law, Summer Willis was denied justice,' the release states. 'This bill strengthens our laws and moves Texas closer to ensuring that every sexual assault case is met with the seriousness and justice it deserves.' The rally will feature other sexual assault survivors and advocates, including Dr. Lavinia Masters and the family of Jeffery Epstein survivor Virginia Giuffre, according to the release. The bill is now before the Senate's Criminal Justice Committee, which is led by Sen. Pete Flores, R-Pleasanton, and Sen. Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound. That committee has held three meetings since the bill was referred to it. According to the release, Willis and other advocates are worried that the bill will die in committee. As of Monday morning, the bill is not listed on the committee's Tuesday agenda. Willis, a sexual assault survivor, is scheduled to speak at the rally to 'urge Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to overrule Flores and schedule the vote.' 'Texas, I can't begin to describe what survivors go through after we survive,' said Willis in the release. 'And I don't have words strong enough to describe what it feels like to know our state offers loopholes to rapists and locked doors to us.' Willis was honored in the Senate Monday morning While not an official deadline, time is running out on the 89th legislative session; the last day for the Senate to consider HB 3073 is May 28. The committee does not have any other meetings scheduled ahead of that deadline, according to legislative records. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
