Texas Senate Panel Mulls Contentious 'Wrongful Birth' Bill
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AUSTIN (AP) — A "wrongful birth" bill prohibiting parents from suing doctors after their child is born with severe disabilities has begun advancing in the Texas Legislature.
The State Affairs Committee heard the measure Monday, sparking emotional testimony from those for and against it.
In 1975, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that parents were entitled to damages covering the extra cost of raising a child with disabilities after doctors failed to fully inform them about problems with the pregnancy.
Anti-abortion advocates applauded the bill. Its sponsor, Republican Sen. Brandon Creighton of Conroe, said patients could still sue for negligence, but could no longer hold doctors liable for delivering disabled children.
Opponents warned of dire, unintended consequences, saying Creighton's bill lets physicians opposed to abortion "lie to" and "impose their own morality on" patients.
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