'Summer Willis Act' passes Texas House, needs Senate vote

Sexual assault survivors push for new legislation

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.

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.

The Summer Willis Act

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.

Who is Summer Willis?

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.

Summer Willis, activist and sexual assault survivor, runs marathons, including one in New York City with a mattress on her back. (Summer Willis)

"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.