“Small government” Republicans in the Texas Senate have just approved one of the most restrictive anti-abortion laws in the nation…
The Texas Senate passed a bill Thursday that would require doctors to conduct a sonogram before performing an abortion and to describe to the mother whether the fetus has arms, legs or internal organs.
Senate Bill 16 requires doctors to perform the sonogram at least two hours before an abortion takes place and to provide the woman with the opportunity to view a sonogram, or hear the fetal heart beat. The bill makes exceptions for cases of rape, incest or where the fetus has fatal abnormalities.
The vote was 21 in favor of the bill, and 10 opposed, with three Democrats voting for the bill and one Republican against. The state House must now pass one of four similar bills before it goes to the governor for signature.
Republican Gov. Rick Perry made the bill emergency legislation, and state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, authored the Senate bill. In opening the debate, Patrick said the bill is necessary to provide the woman with the information she needs to make a decision.
“I commend the Texas Senate for quickly passing SB 16, an important achievement in our efforts to protect life,” Perry said in a statement. “We know that when someone has all the information, the decision to choose life becomes clear.”
The Texas bill is one of dozens introduced around the country to apply new restrictions on abortions. Three states already require sonograms before performing an abortion, and several legislatures are debating outlawing abortions of viable fetuses after the 20th week of pregnancy. The bills have a greater chance of passage following dramatic Republican victories in many states.
To have a final vote on the same day that debate began, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst adjourned the session and then immediately opened a new one.
“I think this is a great day for women, and a great day for Texas,” Patrick said after the bill’s passage was assured.
Opponents, including the Texas Medical Association, said the bill interferes with the doctor-patient relationship. If passed and signed by the governor, the law would be the first time lawmakers have dictated when doctors must perform a procedure, and how they do it, according the TMA.
Patrick rejected the criticism.
“This is the only medical procedure (where) the goal ends in death. There is no patient relationship between that baby and the doctor,” Patrick said. “This is God’s time to pass this bill.”
But Patrick faced fierce criticism from Democrats in a procedural debate that lasted more than two hours.
Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, argued that the bill would “make women do something they don’t want to do with their bodies” by requiring them to have a procedure they may not want.
“You’re going to require them to go through additional state of Texas red tape in order to do something they’ve already decided to do,” Whitmire said.
The Militant Christian Theocracy party (aka GOP), continues to come between you and your doctor with their faith based medical protocols. Weee! Take us back to the dark ages GOP!
Conservatives….YOU LIE. You cry for small govt, yet you create new laws controlling our uteruses. Not one abortion will be stopped. We knew in the 70s that abortions happen either way.
This whole thing makes no logical sense, as par usual. The financial cost, emotional cost and fact that this is an extreme invasion of privacy, when these cons say they support individual rights and liberties, for we the people…really! Now I want to state I am pro life and therefore, pro choice, and what I mean by this is abortion should be legal. It should be no ones concern except for the individuals’ and the doctors’. I would not have an abortion myself, but I would never presume to tell anyone else they could not. I also believe in freedom of choice for all health decisions, advanced directives to keep yourself alive should you not be able to communicate your wishes are vital, especially if we don’t have single payer Medicare for Everyone soon. The health insurance companies are NOT on your side! Now back to these hypocrites, and their attempt at making this dreadful bill seem sane. The article states “The bill makes exceptions for cases of rape, incest or where the fetus has fatal abnormalities.” Ok now really, would anyone really deny an abortion in situations like this, and why wouldn’t you demand this service if the fetus had “fatal abnormalities”, in other words, wouldn’t this be the type of condition where a women should have all the information on the condition where the facts are this procedure actually should be performed. This is just a stepping stone to denying abortions or at least making it a tril by fire, when it is already the hardest decision anyone could have to make. This is available now, I would venture to say, if a women were to request it, and why should it be mandated?
I always had non-invasive testing when I was pregnant, and I was not going to abort, regardless of the outcome, but I wanted to know. Do they think they need to get into a women’s business to such an extent, they not only make up her mind, but they won’t even give her proper medical care? This is one more way they try to take away womens’ rights while they claim God is on their side. Separation of church and state there Dick and Dan…Bet Not
800 abortions within California nearly every 24-hour period??? This nonsense has got to stop