1. Expanding Access to Women’s Health Care. SB 747, instructing the state to apply for a federal Medicaid waiver that would expand access to family planning and preventative health care for low income women, was reported favorably, without amendments, out of the House Public Health Committee on May 17, 2005 by a vote of 7-0 with 2 members absent.  A pro-choice vote (P) was a vote for this bill.

2. Demanding Accountability for Education Spending.  Representative Veasey (D- Ft. Worth) offered Amendment 38 to CSSB 1, the state budget, on behalf of Representative Farrar (D- Houston).  The amendment requires agencies who receive funds for abstinence-only sexuality education to report to the Department of State Health Services their programs’ success at reducing teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.  Representative Hochberg (D- Houston) offered Amendment 40 to Amendment 38 stipulating that agencies may not use abstinence-only sexuality education funds to produce these report.  Amendment 40 was adopted by voice vote.  Representatives Hupp (R- Lampasas) and Eiland (D- Galveston) offered Amendment 41 to Amendment 38 stating that the Department of State Health Services could not use any abstinence-only sexuality education funds to provide abstinence education or education relating to contraceptives in public schools.  Amendment 41 was withdrawn.  Amendment 38, as amended by Amendment 40, failed by a record vote of 78-67, with 1 present not voting, on April 6, 2005.  A pro-choice vote (“P”) was a vote for this amendment.  

3. Health Care Standards Amendment. Representative Naishtat (D- Austin) offered Amendment 45 to CSSB 1 which would require any provider receiving funds for family planning services to comply with the Family Planning Policy Manual for federal titles X and XX.  Representative Isett (R-Lubbock) moved to table Amendment 45.  The amendment was tabled by a record vote of 98-44 on April 6, 2004.  A pro-choice vote (“P”) was a vote against tabling this amendment.

4. Expanding Access to Health Care Amendment. Representative Dukes (D-Austin) offered Amendment 57 to CSSB 1 which requires the Health and Human Services Commission to submit the necessary application to the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services for the 5 year demonstration project to expand access to preventative health and family planning services to women living at or below 185% of the federal poverty level.  Amendment 57 was adopted with 22 members recording their vote against it.  A pro-choice vote (“P”) is a vote for this amendment.

5. Increasing Barriers for Abused Teenagers and Politicizing Judicial Rulings. The committee substitute for HB 1212 passed the House State Affairs Committee by a vote of 6-3 on April 25, 2005.  In addition to requiring parental consent for minors seeking abortion, HB 1212 made a number of changes to the judicial bypass process, including limiting the places where minors could file for judicial bypass orders, and raising both the burden of proof on the minor and the standard for what constitutes “abuse.”  The bill would also have required published reports on judicial bypass cases. A pro choice vote (“P”) was a vote against this bill.

6. Hijacking a Sunset Commission Bill to Risk Women’s Health.  Representative Hartnett (R-Dallas) offered an Amendment 2 to CSSB 419 (a bill reauthorizing the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners) to amend the Occupations Code to prevent physicians from being licensed to practice medicine and to subject them to disciplinary action for performing a third trimester abortion when the fetus is viable, unless the abortion is necessary to prevent the woman’s death. Amendment 2, as amended by Amendments 3 and 8, was adopted by a record vote of 118-16 on May 16, 2005.  A pro-choice vote (“P”) was a vote against this amendment.  Amendment 3 added an exemption when the fetus has a severe, irreversible brain impairment, and passed by voice vote with 10 representatives recording “no” votes.

+ Special note about Texas House Vote on Parental Consent for Minors Seeking Abortion.  The House Committee on State Affairs reported SB 1150, requiring parental consent for minors seeking abortion, favorably without amendments on May 19, 2005, by a vote of 5-1 with 3 members absent.  SB 1150 did not include any of the increased courtroom hurdles as contained in HB 1212.  A pro-choice vote (“P”) was a vote against the bill.  NARAL Pro-Choice Texas is extremely grateful to Representative Farrar who voted against this bill in the State Affairs Committee.   Her pro-choice vote against this bill is marked as a “+”; however, it is not included in the overall 2005 Texas House voting record ratings.

++ Special note about Texas House Votes on Reauthorization of the Board of Medical Examiners with Anti-Choice Amendments.  CSSB 419, reauthorized the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners, and included two anti-choice amendments.  The first bans third trimester abortions when the fetus is viable, unless the abortion is necessary to prevent the woman’s death, the fetus has a severe irreversible brain impairment, or to prevent the woman from suffering imminent, severe, and irreversible brain damage or paralysis (perfectly clear, right?).  The second amendment requires minors to obtain parental consent for an abortion (instead of the existing requirement that they notify a parent).  SB 419 passed the House on a record vote of 121-12, on May 17, 2005.  A pro-choice vote (“P”) was a vote against the bill.  NARAL Pro-Choice Texas is extremely grateful to the Representatives who voted against this bill.   Their pro-choice votes against this bill are marked as a “++”, however this vote is not included in the overall 2005 Texas House voting record ratings because of the many provisions of CSSB 419 that were unrelated to reproductive healthcare issues.