8. Senator Gonzalo Barrientos (D-Austin) offered an amendment to HB 15 to exempt rape and incest victims from the bill’s restrictions as well as women seeking an abortion due to severe fetal anomalies or medical necessity. The amendment failed 11-20. A pro-choice vote (“P”) was a vote for the amendment. (5/20/03)

9. “Redefining Personhood” bill by Sen. Kenneth Armbrister (R-Victoria) & Rep. Ray Allen (R-Grand Prairie). SB 319, another top priority of the anti-choice groups, also passed the Legislature in 2003. Despite claims that this bill was not about restricting access to abortion, the lead advocates behind this bill were Texas’ anti-choice groups. The bill provides full legal personhood to a zygote and embryo from the point of fertilization---a religious and political definition of pregnancy, rather than a medical one. SB 319 is part of a nationwide strategy by anti-choice groups to criminalize abortion without directly tackling Roe v. Wade. NARAL Pro-Choice Texas strongly supports a woman’s right to safely carry a pregnancy to term, and believes that redefining life to begin at fertilization is not necessary to protect pregnant women from violence. Governor Rick Perry signed this bill into law on 6/20/03. A pro-choice vote (“P”) was a vote against the bill that passed the Senate 27-4 on 5/22/03 and passed the House 112-15 on 5/28/03.

10. Representative Jessica Farrar (D-Houston) offered an amendment to SB 319 to redefine legal personhood to begin from fetal viability, rather than fertilization. The amendment was tabled 89-9. A pro-choice vote (“P”) was a vote against tabling the amendment. (5/26/03)

11. Representative Jessica Farrar (D-Houston) offered an amendment to SB 319 to strengthen civil and criminal penalties for injuring a pregnant woman---without undermining reproductive rights. The amendment was defeated by a vote of 25-87. A pro-choice vote (“P”) was a vote for the amendment. (5/26/03)

12. “Viagra—Yes! Contraception—No!” bill by Sen. Thomas Williams (R-The Woodlands). SB 541 bill was promoted as an effort to make health insurance more affordable, but contains no guarantees that lower health insurance costs will result. Instead the bill gives insurance companies approval to issue policies without mandated coverage of certain health care services, such as: contraception, minimum stays at hospitals after childbirth, and other basic healthcare services for women. SB 541 repeals Texas’ popular new contraceptive equity law that requires insurance companies to cover contraception just as they cover Viagra. A pro-choice vote (“P”) was a vote against SB 541, which passed the Senate 26-4 on 4/15/03 and the House 99-14 on 5/26/03 and was signed into law by Gov. Rick Perry on 6/20/03, effective 9/1/03.

13. Representative Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) offered an amendment to SB 541 to require insurance companies to cover contraception, just like they cover Viagra. The amendment was tabled 70-44. A pro-choice vote (“P”) was a vote against tabling the amendment. (5/26/03)

14. Representative Dawnna Dukes (D-Austin) offered an amendment to SB 541 to require insurance companies to offer women a minimum stay in a hospital after childbirth. The amendment was tabled 77-43. A pro-choice vote (“P”) was a vote against tabling the amendment. (5/26/03)