The Texas House voted to concur with Senate amendments to House Bill 30 73, known as the Summer Willis Act, a criminal‑law change the sponsor described as clarifying when sexual assault is ‘‘without consent’’ and giving prosecutors additional statutory tools to pursue certain cases.

The act matters because it changes statutory definitions used in prosecutions, clarifying that an assault is without consent where the actor knew the other person was unconscious or physically unable to resist, where the actor knew the other person was unaware the assault was occurring, or where the person was intoxicated or impaired to the extent of being incapable of consenting, according to the sponsor’s floor explanation.

Representative Howard, the bill sponsor, said the bill is the final recommendation of the sexual‑assault survivors task force and argued the changes would improve prosecution rates. ‘‘After today, prosecutors will have the tools they need to put rapists behind bars,’’ Howard said on the floor. She described the amendments as cleaning up statutory language so prosecutions better reflect survivors’ experiences.

Representative Wu asked Howard how long the effort had been underway and whether other states had enacted similar reforms; Howard replied she had worked on the measure for ‘‘three or four sessions’’ and that some other states had adopted comparable language. Lawmakers on the floor cited low reporting and prosecution rates as background for the change; Howard referenced statistics showing a small fraction of assaults reach prosecution under prior law.

The House recorded 135 ayes and 2 nays on concurrence with Senate amendments. Representative Howard moved the concurrence and final passage as the sponsor.

The bill sponsor and others emphasized the legislative intent to give law enforcement and prosecutors clearer statutory definitions; members supporting the measure framed it as aligning Texas law with survivor‑centered practices. During floor debate House members thanked senators and the governor’s office for collaboration on the final language.