Texas legislature sends bill banning dismemberment abortions to governor's desk
A bill that would ban dismemberment and partial-birth abortions is now headed to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's desk after it was approved by state Senate on Friday.
The Senate voted 22–9 to approve Texas Senate Bill 8, which would prohibit dismemberment abortions, a method typically used by abortionists in the second trimester. According to Life News, the procedure involves tearing apart the fetus and pulling the pieces out of the womb while the heart is still beating.
Dallas News reported that the measure also bans partial-birth abortions, which refers to a late-term procedure prohibited by federal law.
The bill's author, Sen. Charles Schwertner, said that the legislation will "ensure the dignity and protection for the unborn child" in Texas.
When the bill was approved by the House last week, Rep. Cindy Burkett (R-Sunnyvale) said that the statewide ban on the said procedure was necessary so that the authorities can enforce it. The provision to ban dismemberment abortions was added to the measure by Rep. Stephanie Klick (R-Fort Worth).
Rep. Donna Howard (D-Austin), openly wept as she called on other Democrats to vote against Klick's amendment.
"Unfortunately, women are sometimes in a position where they become pregnant and that pregnancy is not something that they choose," she said.
"Changing the law to make it illegal will not stop abortions from happening. All it will do is make it less safe," she continued.
After the Senate approved the legislation, the Center for Reproductive Rights sent a letter to Abbott, urging him to veto the measure.
"Texas women deserve access to the health care that is best for them and their personal circumstances — not abortion restrictions pushed by extreme anti-abortion organizations," Amanda Allen, state legislative counsel for the organization, said in a statement.
"The Center for Reproductive Rights vows to battle any unconstitutional measures in the courts until the rights of Texas women are respected and protected," she added.
The ban on dismemberment abortions is based on a model legislation from the National Right to Life Committee, which prohibits the use of forceps, clamps, scissors or similar instruments to remove the unborn baby from the womb in pieces.
Similar legislation has been approved in several states including Kansas, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana. However, the law is only in effect in Mississippi and West Virginia, as the other states are still battling legal challenges.