Usually at loggerheads, some of the different sides of the abortion debate came together at the state capitol Monday morning. The "Life of the Mother Act" appears on track to pass this spring unless a tenuous deal falls apart.
The bill does not add any additional legal reasons for a woman to get an abortion under Texas law. It does, however, give doctors more clarity and legal cover when they perform a rare legal abortion.
Watch 온라인카지노사이트 5 free wherever you are
WATCH HERE“We don’t want this bill hijacked for either side’s agenda. This bill is supposed to protect moms because that is our common ground," said Jennifer Allmon, the executive director of the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops, told a panel of lawmakers Monday morning.
“If even one mother dies because of confusion because of healthcare professionals and their attorneys, then we need to clarify so there’s no longer confusion. That’s why the law is needed," said Allmon.
Get top local stories delivered to you every morning with 온라인카지노사이트 DFW's News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP It's a fragile deal but a deal nonetheless between some - but not all - reproductive rights advocates, key lawmakers, doctors, and anti-abortion groups, formed after several high-profile cases.
For the past two years, since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Texas has had a near-total abortion ban. While technically doctors were able to perform abortions under very dangerous situations, few doctors took that chance with life in prison and a $100,000 fine on the line.
"I don’t want to say our hands were tied, but we felt so constrained. What do I do? How do I manage this? We don’t want to live like this, trying to take care of mothers," said Dr. Deborah Fuller, a Dallas OBGYN and representative of the Texas Medical Association.
Lone Star Politics
Covering politics throughout the state of Texas.
Dallas mother Kate Cox fled the state for an abortion, fearing her health was in danger, last year. It added fuel to a legal fight already in progress between a group of women and the state in Zurawski vs. Texas.
"We know women have had to leave Texas for life-saving care. We know women’s bodies have been horribly injured because doctors and hospitals are afraid to provide abortions that could save their bodies," said Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth.
allows doctors not to delay or withhold an abortion if her life is at risk or if there's a threat of "substantial impairment of a major bodily function" - such as her fertility. There's also a companion bill in the Texas Senate filed by Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola.
“Hospital attorneys and doctors need to know this, so doctors can treat their patients with 100% confidence and so that pregnant women can receive the care that they deserve," said Joe Pojman from the Texas Alliance for Life.
Despite some intense questions about specific language, Texas law will still ban nearly all abortions, including of pregnancies from rape or incest. However, the bill gives doctors more legal protection for performing abortions under the two narrow legal exceptions.
"This is not a choice bill. This is not an elective abortion bill. This is a medical exception bill attempting to address this current crisis of confusion," said Rep. Ann Johnson, D-Houston.
The bill is on track to pass. Major statewide leaders such as Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the leader of the Texas Senate, support it.
"I know this bill will help save women’s lives," said Dr. Fuller.
Part of the negotiations centered around anti-abortion laws stretching over several decades, with different wording that all became reality when Roe v. Wade was overturned.
“Generally, the goal is to make sure all the laws match. That doctors and their lawyers have one place to look to," said Dr. John Seago from Texas Right to Life.
The bill does not make everyone happy, however. Several women who filed a lawsuit against the state in Zurawski v. Texas spoke against the proposal, arguing that the abortion bans on the books will continue to create situations putting women's lives at risk.
"This is not a solution. It is a political compromise," said Kaitlyn Kash.
