Live Blogging from Ultrasound Hearing

7:00 p.m.-Elizabeth Graham for Texas Right to Life, concluding the testimony.  Addressing the call for rape and incest exception, she excellently points out that such debate was had on the House floor regarding informed consent for women.  Result-women need more information in a stressful situation, not less. 

6:55 Dr Love is testifying, has delivered babies, performed abortions and worked at Planned Parenthood.  He emphatically says that performing a ultrasound before an abortion is the acceptable standard of care.  Period. 

 

6:50; Brent Bullock, testifying for HB 36 as part of the Texas Pastors’ Council. Brent is testifying about the talks they have with women and men about the effects of abortion, particularly the men.  That is so true, people often times forget that this issue affects men.  So many men are hurting out there because their unborn child was aborted and there was nothing they could do about it.

6:30-Woman named Angie testifying, a former Planned Parenthood employee.  PP forbid her from allowing the woman to hear the baby’s heartbeat.  Says her PP boss said “Only reason we do an ultrasound at PP is to see what type of abortion to perform. We do not do an ultrasound to determine if the baby is dead or alive or if she has one or twin or triplets.”  “Is that legal?”  Wow-PP is so detached from America and people need to know.

6:05-Molly White-ACLU, NARAL, Planned Parenthood does not speak for women and they do not speak for me.

5:50-Dr. Linda Flower (pictured above), board certified family physician, testified about an ultrasound being the standard of care before having an abortion. She supports the Ultrasound bill.  She completed her residency at Baylor College of Medicine and she was on the faculty at Baylor College of Medicine, UT Health Science Center Houston, and UT Medical Branch, Galveston.  Pretty darn strong authority.

5:40: Had to step out of the hearing and do a live radio interview about the Ultrasound bill.

5:30: Brandy Dudley just testified and it was powerful. She told her personal story about how she had an abortion and that if she had been offered an ultrasound image she would now have 3 children alive instead of two.  She talked about how she’ll never see that child walk through the door and give her a hug.  How that child will never play catch with a ball with her.  As a young father, her testimony really hit home for me.  It is so tragic that so many people later have to come to terms with such a decision that cannot be reversed.  I applaud her for having the courage to share this testimony with us.

5:15-I am being called up testify-let committee know of our vast constitutional law experience, and not to be persuaded by ACLU types who try to scare with threats of lawsuits.  I cover the reporting bill and the Ultrasound bill, mention the USSCT case of Planned Parenthood v. Casey  where the court upheld numerous informed consent measures and said:

 ”in attempting to ensure that a woman comprehend the full consequences of her decision, the State furthers the legitimate purpose of reducing the risk that a woman may elect an abortion, only to discover later, with devistating psychological consequences, that her decision was not fully informed.”

No questions for me.

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Same doctor is now saying that an ultrasound may not be needed before an abortion is performed. He’s either not being truthful or he is the only doctor that would not perform an ultrasound before an abortion.

5:00 p.m.  Rep. Randy weber just asked a doctor opposing HB 3796-You mention concern for the mother, what about the concern for the unborn baby? Which was received with applause.

The hearing on HB 36 has begun.  the committee is also hearing testimony about HB 3796, the abortion reporting bill.

Groups Unite to Support Ultrasound in Hearing, Hold Press Conference

AUSTIN, Texas – Today, Free Market Foundation, along with many other organizations and individuals, will present testimony to the House State Affairs Committee in favor of the ultrasound bill (H.B. 36), filed in the Texas Legislature by State Representative Frank Corte.  This bill requires that a woman considering abortion be offered an ultrasound image and a chance to hear the heartbeat of her unborn child.  A companion bill in the Senate, SB 182 filed by Sen. Dan Patrick, has already passed out of committee and is awaiting full approval by the Senate.

“Women and young girls should not be effectively blind-folded as they are led into the abortion office.  They should be able to benefit from the advancement of technology and the critical information provided by an ultrasound to make an informed decision,” said Jonathan Saenz, director of legislative affairs and attorney at Free Market Foundation, who will present testimony in favor of the bill.

This bill also requires that an ultrasound be performed before a woman has an abortion.

“This bill protects both the health of women and the duty of informed consent,” said Dr. Linda Flower, a Texas board-certified family physician with nearly 20 years of obstetrics experience and Chairman of the Texas Physicians Resource Council, who will testify in favor of the bill.  “Performing an ultrasound is the standard of care for any procedure that involves the womb, including an abortion.”

Groups offering their support at the preceding news conference include:

Texas Right to Life,
Texans for Life Coalition,
Texas Physicians Resource Council,
Texas Alliance for Life,
Texas Eagle Forum,
Concerned Women for America,
Trinity Legal Center,
Liberty Legal Institute, and more.

Choose Life License Plate Bill Passes Senate Committee

Minutes ago, the Texas Senate Health & Human Services Committee, passed the Choose Life License Plate bill, SB 1098 by Sen. John Carona, out of committee by a vote of 6-1.  This bill is now on its way to a vote by the full Senate.  The companion bill in the House is HB 109, by Rep. Larry Phillips.

Statement of Free Market Foundation:

“We applaud the leadership of this committee to uphold the free speech rights of citizens to proudly display the message ‘Choose Life.’  Efforts to censor this free speech right by our opponents is a clear constitutional violation,” said Jonathan Saenz, Attorney & Director of Legislative Affairs, Free Market Foundation, who testified in favor of the bill this morning.