Austin, Feb. 26, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Senator Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills) and Representative Matt Schaefer (R-Tyler) filed Texas Right to Life’s top legislative priority, the Preborn NonDiscrimination Act (PreNDA). Senate Bill 1033 and House Bill 2434 prohibit the remaining late-term abortions in Texas, in contrast with recent extreme actions taken by New York and Virginia. The life-saving legislation now introduced in Texas also bans discriminatory abortions, like anti-woman sex-selective abortions.
PreNDA will protect preborn children diagnosed with potential disabilities or abnormalities, preventing atrocities such as Iceland’s “cure” for Down syndrome -- aborting all preborn children with Down syndrome. The bill also provides families who receive such a diagnosis a list of available resources, thereby showing that Texas offers far more than abortion to families with disabled loved ones. This list includes information about social and medical services available from public and privately funded programs like perinatal palliative care. Currently, most parents receive no option other than abortion when told their children may have disabilities, and many parents report instances of health care workers repeatedly pressuring them to abort throughout pregnancy.
Additionally, PreNDA prohibits all discriminatory abortions motivated by the sex, race or potential disability of the preborn child, and places the abortionist at risk of a civil lawsuit if he provides such discriminatory abortions.
Senators Donna Campbell, Brandon Creighton, Bryan Hughes, Lois Kolkhorst, Angela Paxton, Charles Perry and Larry Taylor have already signed onto the bill as joint authors, signaling their early support.
In response to the filings, Elizabeth Graham, Director of Texas Right to Life, said: “We are again pleased to work on pressing Pro-Life priorities with Pro-Life champions Senator Kelly Hancock and Representative Matt Schaefer. Preborn children deserve protection from late-term abortions and deadly discrimination. New York and Virginia do not speak for the rest of the nation, and this is an appropriate step to affirming the Right to Life of all preborn children. We are thankful for their leadership in protecting the sanctity of all innocent human Life.”
Founded in 1973, Texas Right to Life is the oldest and largest Pro-Life organization in Texas. Recognized as the statewide leader of the Pro-Life movement in Texas, Texas Right to Life works through legislation and education to protect the rights of the preborn, persons with disabilities, the sick, the elderly, and the vulnerable through legal, peaceful and prayerful means.
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