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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 18, 2015
CONTACT
Leah Brown
512.477.1244
[email protected]
AUSTIN, TX ‐‐ The Senate Health and Human Services Commi ee will consider two pro‐life bills at its mee ng at 8 a.m. today, both of
which are strongly supported by Texas Alliance for Life. The two bills are HB 416, to require abor on facility workers to undergo
training to iden fy and help women who may be vic ms of sex trafficking, and HB 3994 to reform the judicial bypass process under
which judges can issue secret orders allowing physicians to perform abor ons on minor girls, 17 years of age and younger, without
no fying or obtaining the consent of a parent.
Last Thursday, the House gave its final approval to HB 3994 authored by Rep. Geanie Morrison (R‐Victoria), to
reform the judicial bypass process in Texas law for abor ons on minor girls. The House passed HB 3994 on a 93‐46
vote. Rep. Ma Krause (R‐Fort Worth) authored an amendment that added several provisions to strengthen the bill.
Sen. Charles Perry (R‐Lubbock) is the Senate sponsor.
"We are extremely grateful to Rep. Morrison for authoring this important bill," said Joe Pojman, Ph.D., Texas Alliance
for Life's execu ve director. "We also thank Rep. Krause for his floor amendment to improve the bill and be er give
parents the right to protect their minor daughters from abor on. We look forward to working with Lt. Gov. Dan
Patrick, Sen. Charles Perry, and the pro‐life majority in the Senate to make HB 3994 even be er."
HB 3994 ghtens a number of loopholes in the judicial bypass process. For example, HB 3994 changes the provision in current law
that allows a minor to have a judicial bypass hearing in virtually any court in Texas via teleconference, regardless of
where she resides. Data from the Texas Department of State Health Services indicate that some coun es experience
a dispropor onate number of bypass proceedings.
Rep. Krause' amendment addresses several issues including venue, nonsui ng, and requirements that judges and
abor on facility staff report abuse of the minor.
The House gave it final approval to HB 416, authored by Rep. Debbie Riddle (R‐Spring) and sponsored by Sen Donn
Campbell (R‐New Braunfels), on May 7 on a unanimous vote. The Senate Health and Human Services Commi ee has already
approved the iden cal companion bill;. so the commi ee is expected to approve HB 416 today, making it eligible to reach the Senate
floor in a ma er of days.
Both bills are on Texas Alliance for Life's list of priority bills.
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TexasSenatePaneltoConsiderTwoPro‐LifeBillsToday
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Texas Alliance for Life (TAL) is a non-sectarian, non-partisan, pro-life organization of people committed to protecting
innocent human lives from conception through natural death through peaceful, legal means. TAL is a
statewide organization based in the Texas capital.
www.TexasAllianceforLife.org 512.477.1244
@TXAlliance4Life
TexasAllianceforLife
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