Pro-Life Bills Get Second Chance in Special Session

The Texas Catholic Conference (TCC) acknowledged with appreciation Governor Rick Perry’s expansion of the special legislative session to include pro-life and juvenile justice issues. With the expansion, lawmakers have an opportunity to make significant strides in passing pro-life legislation that was left pending in the 83rd Regular Session.

Perry's announcement follows a May 27 letter from the TCC asking for the special session to include a number of proposals to protect life that had been dropped in the regular session.

"On behalf of our congregations across the state, the Catholic bishops deeply appreciate Governor Perry's working with us to defend innocent human life and to protect the unborn," the TCC said in a statement.

Legislators have filed a number of pro-life bills under the call, ranging from requiring abortion facilities to comply with the standard for ambulatory surgery centers, to prohibiting abortions for women who are at least 20 weeks pregnant, and to preventing people who are not physicians from providing or prescribing abortion-inducing drugs.


The TCC is supporting a number of the bills under consideration in both the Texas House and Senate that protect the life of unborn children and the health of mothers:

HB 60 / SB 5: This bill raises the health and safety standards for abortion facilities and providers. It requires abortionists to have local hospital admitting privileges and requires facilities to be licensed as ambulatory surgical centers. The bill also requires physicians prescribing RU-486 to follow FDA guidelines, including examining the mother and determining the gestational age of the baby. It prohibits abortions after the baby has reached 20 weeks of gestation. The Texas Catholic Conference supports this bill to provide more protection for the health and safety of women.

HB 16 / SB 13: This bill prohibits abortions for women who are at least 20 weeks pregnant. The TCC supports this bill that further restricts the conditions under which the state will sanction abortion.

SB 18: This bill prohibits people who are not physicians from providing or prescribing abortion-inducing drugs. It requires physicians who prescribe abortion-inducing drugs to physically examine the mother before giving the drug, and also to provide a mother with the contact information for another physician who has admitting privileges at a hospital and who will treat emergencies arising from the drug. It also requires reporting adverse events related to the use of these drugs. The TCC supports this bill as a gradualist approach to ending abortion in Texas.

SB 24: This bill requires that all abortion facilities comply with the standard for ambulatory surgery centers. The TCC supports this bill to increase the inspections and regulations of abortion facilities.

HB 55: This bill prohibits gender selection abortions. The TCC supports this bill to limit abortions in Texas.

HB 57: This bill requires that a physician who performs abortions have admitting privileges at a local hospital that provides obstetrical healthcare. Although the TCC seeks an end to abortion, we support this bill to ensure that doctors are able to provide follow-up care to women locally if there are complications from abortion.

HB 61: This bill requires the health and human services commission to maintain information regarding abortion facilities whose license or renewal is denied or revoked. The TCC supports this bill which will provide more information about licensure violations of abortion providers.

HB 63: This bill weakens the ability of a minor to obtain a judicial bypass from parental consent by closing the venue and requiring more evidence. The TCC supports this bill because it increases parental rights and restricts access to abortion for minors.

HB 66: This bill requires that if a minor is seeking judicial bypass for an abortion, the bypass request is made to the county of her residence. It also appoints a guardian ad litem to represent the interests of the minor who is not the minor's attorney and creates a presumption that consent of the minor's parents is in the best interest of the minor. The TCC supports this bill which puts in place greater protections for the unborn and for parental rights.

HB 67: This bill requires that if a minor is seeking judicial bypass for an abortion, the bypass request is made to the county of her residence. It also appoints a guardian ad litem to represent the interests of the minor who is not the minor's attorney and creates a presumption that consent of the minor's parents is in the best interest of the minor. The TCC supports this bill which puts in place greater protections for the unborn and for parental rights.

HB 68: This bill adds steps to the informed consent process to prevent coerced abortions. The TCC supports this bill as a gradualist approach to reducing abortions in Texas.