Sponsored by: Rep. Jessica Farrar (D-Houston)
Summary: Texas law requires a 24-hour wait before a woman can have an abortion (regardless of whether the pregnancy is a result of incest or rape or if the fetus has severe abnormalities). The law also requires that a woman scheduling an abortion be given state-directed information on the potential father's duty to provide child support and the false claim that women have an increased risk of developing breast cancer after having the procedure. HB 301 would have exempted women from the 24-hour wait and the state-directed information before they can have an abortion if their fetus is found to have a severe fetal abnormality. HB 306 would have exempted women from the 24-hour wait and the state-mandated lecture before they could have an abortion if the pregnancy is the result of incest or rape.
HB 301 would have exempted women from the 24-hour wait and the state-directed information before they can have an abortion if their fetus is found to have a severe fetal abnormality. HB 306 would have exempted women from the 24-hour wait and the state-mandated lecture before they could have an abortion if the pregnancy is the result of incest or rape.
PPNT Position: Supported—These bills would have allowed women faced with difficult pregnancies and difficult choices to act on their decisions without an additional 24-hour wait or potentially traumatizing lecture. A woman faced with an unintended pregnancy due to rape or incest has already spent many hours agonizing over the fact that she may be pregnant, and she does not need to hear how her rapist is responsible for paying her child support. A woman with a much wanted pregnancy who finds out her fetus has a severe abnormality should not be forced to hear about normal fetal development or view pictures of how her fetus would look if it were healthy.
Latest Action: 04/02/2007 - Left pending in the House State Affairs committee.
Recorded Votes:
