A new bill introduced in the Texas state legislature would legally include a child in the womb as a second person in high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes.
State Rep. Briscoe Cain (R) introduced House Bill 521, which entitles a pregnant driver to use any HOV lane in the state, for the 2023 session this week.
The bill’s text states, “An operator of a motor vehicle who is pregnant is entitled to use any high occupancy vehicle lane in this state regardless of whether the vehicle is occupied by a passenger other than the operator’s unborn child.” It is unclear how police would be expected to enforce the law.
The proposed bill comes after Texas woman Brandy Bottone was pulled over in an HOV lane on Central Expressway in Dallas in June and told police that her unborn child should be counted as a second person.
