State lawmakers file more bills to provide more restrictions on abortion
TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) – With the start of the state's legislative session a little over a month away, lawmakers have filed a number of bills regarding abortion access.
To Democratic State Senator Nathan Johnson of Dallas, there's an urgent need to change the state's abortion law, which bans most abortions with the exception to save the mother's life.
"We are in a very dire state in terms of reproductive rights," he said.
Johnson has proposed a bill that would repeal a Texas abortion law still on the books from 1925. It calls for women to be prosecuted if they have an abortion.
While the state's most recent law does not allow that, Johnson said he wants to eliminate any possibility of that happening.
"I don't want any confusion and I don't want a woman being prosecuted for getting an abortion or being suspected of getting an abortion," he continued.
He said another reason he wants to repeal the 1925 law is because of a provision that makes it illegal for someone to help someone obtain an abortion.
"It could mean prosecuting members of the boards of directors of corporations if their health insurance policy provides for out of state travel if one of their employees is a rape victim and chooses to go out of state for an abortion," Johnson said.
Other Democratic lawmakers have proposed abortion-related bills as well.
They include Representative James Talarico of Austin that would require a Constitutional amendment to limit the legislature's ability to prohibit abortion access.
Another bill, by Democratic Senator Carol Alvarado of Houston would add an exception to the state's abortion ban in cases where a woman is raped.
Republican Representative Candy Noble of Murphy filed legislation that would prohibit government entities from providing logistical support for those obtaining an abortion out of state - including childcare, travel, food, and lodging.
Another measure by Republican Representative Jared Patterson of Frisco wouldn't allow companies to receive tax incentives including abatements and sales tax rebates if they pay for their employees to travel out of state to obtain an abortion or the procedure itself.
In a statement to CBS 11 Patterson said, "It's unconscionable that some businesses would rather a woman kill her baby and return to work than start or expand her family and take a little time off. Major corporations seeking to circumvent our laws protecting babies should do so at their own peril and on their own dime."
Jonathan Covey, policy director of Texas Values agreed.
"These bills are badly needed to protect lives," Covey said. "Our state level tax codes need to be pro-family and they need to be pro-life and that is what this is working towards."
Texas Values supported the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling to overturn Roe v Wade last June.
"Without Roe, we have the power to save lives in ways we never had and haven't in five decades and this is an incredible opportunity," he said.
More bills are expected to be filed.
Covey said he'd like to see the state enforce its law preventing abortion-inducing pills from being given to women after their seventh week of pregnancy.
Johnson said some of these same pills can be prescribed to women who have miscarriages and that the state should allow women to take them.
"I don't know when Republicans are going to start taking the idea of limited state government seriously," Johnson said. "This is totalitarian stuff."
The legislative session begins Jan. 10 at the Texas Capitol and runs through Memorial Day weekend.