Bipartisan support propels Texas bill to clarify medical exceptions in near-total abortion ban
A bill that clarifies the medical exceptions to the state of Texas' near-abortion ban could be headed to the governor's desk as early as Thursday.
It comes as lawmakers in the Texas House gave preliminary passage of the legislation Wednesday afternoon.
The bill is aimed at better defining for doctors when it is ok for them to perform an abortion. The measure received widespread and bipartisan support in the Texas House, passing by a margin of 129 to six and 10 lawmakers present but not voting.
Many abortion-rights and anti-abortion groups backed this legislation. Some conservatives opposed the bill.
The measure came after some women, their doctors, and hospitals sued the state, complaining that the state's near-total abortion ban was too vague. As a result, they said critical care was either delayed or denied and some had to leave the state to get an abortion, putting their lives in danger.
Exceptions under abortion law
In Texas, the only exception to an abortion is to save the life of the mother.
This new bill says that a doctor can perform the procedure if a mother's life or a major bodily function is in danger, either imminently or long-term. Examples include cancer treatment, kidney and liver failure.
Opponents said they worry the bill will be a slippery slope in allowing more abortions, but the author of the bill, Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, disputed that during debate on the legislation.
"We are in no way promoting abortion on this," said Geren. "What we are trying to do is save the life or the bodily functions of a mother. I get a little emotional about this. I've got friends who watched their wives nearly bleed out."
"This bill creates loopholes to recharge the pro-choice industry in Texas, and I will be voting no," said Rep. David Lowe, R-Arlington, one of the six lawmakers who voted against the measure.
The Texas ACLU opposes the bill and, in a statement, said, "No amount of 'clarification' can fix a fundamentally unjust law."
The Texas House will give final passage on Thursday. The Senate already approved the measure unanimously, 31-0. The next stop after Thursday's vote in the House will be Gov. Abbott's desk.
House passes another abortion related bill Wednesday
SB 33 bans local governments from paying for residents to go out of state to get an abortion. One other piece of legislation, SB 2880, seeks to crack down on the sale and trafficking of abortion pills. After passing in the Senate, it has been referred to a House committee.
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