Bill Targets Pregnancy Fraud After Texas Killings
Rep.-elect Chris Spencer filed House Bill 944, dubbed Reagan and Braxlynn's Law, on Monday.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Sex Crimes
Texas Rep.-elect Chris Spencer, R-Hughes Springs, filed House Bill 944, known as Reagan and Braxlynn's Law, targeting pregnancy fraud. The filing follows the 2020 killings of Reagan Simmons-Hancock and her unborn daughter, for which a New Boston woman was sentenced to death.
Why it matters
The bill would create a new penalty for fraudulently faking a pregnancy and add pregnancy fraud training for law enforcement. It responds to a case in which the suspect allegedly staged a pregnancy for months before targeting a young mother.
House Bill 944 was filed Monday and will be referred to a House committee once the session begins. If passed, the law would take effect Sept. 1, 2027, with the training requirement applying to new officers from Jan. 1, 2028.
The players
Chris Spencer
Republican state representative-elect from Hughes Springs who won the open House District 1 seat in November and filed the bill.
The details
The bill would make it a Class B misdemeanor to show a fake medical record to obtain a benefit from another person. The case behind the bill involved Reagan Simmons-Hancock, 21, who was about 35 weeks pregnant when she was killed at her New Boston home on Oct. 9, 2020; her baby was cut from her body and later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Timeline
Oct. 9, 2020: Reagan Simmons-Hancock was killed at her New Boston home.
Nov. 9, 2022: The convicted woman was sentenced to death for capital murder.
November 2025: The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals upheld the sentence.
May 2026: The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case.
Sept. 1, 2027: The law would take effect if passed.
Legal Context
The bill would add a specific pregnancy-fraud offense to Texas law, filling a gap that prosecutors previously had to address through broader homicide and fraud charges. It follows the state's capital murder sentencing in this case, which has now been upheld through the state high court and the U.S. Supreme Court declining review.
If enacted, the bill would let prosecutors pursue pregnancy fraud as a misdemeanor and require new officers to receive at least two hours of related training. Residents would see the change through new charging options and updated police training standards beginning in 2028.
The takeaway
Pregnancy fraud laws are moving from case-by-case prosecution toward explicit statutory definitions. Readers tracking criminal justice bills should watch committee action on House Bill 944 in the coming session.
What happens next
The bill will be referred to a House committee after the Texas legislative session begins.
Further reading
Explore more Texas sex crimes coverage for related legal developments.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Texarkana Today.
