Ultrasound bill wins passage from state Senate
By Janet Elliott Houston Chronicle May 1, 2009 AUSTIN — A law that would ask women seeking abortions to first have and view an ultrasound of their pregnancy passed through the Texas Senate Friday — as did a creation of a new “Choose Life” vehicle license plate. Both bills were championed by Gov. Rick Perry, who is stressing his conservative credentials heading into an expected Republican primary battle with U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. The ultrasound bill was highlighted in Perry’s State of the State address in January in which he urged lawmakers to pass the measure to add “another layer of protection for the most vulnerable Texans.” In February, he again endorsed the bill at a rally of hundreds of anti-abortion advocates on the Capitol steps. In order to get the 20-10 vote for the ultrasound bill, Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, changed the original proposal — which would have required an ultrasound to be performed before a woman could have the abortion. The version that passed instead would require doctors to offer women the ultrasound, but they could elect not to have one. The bill now goes to the House, where it will be sponsored by Rep. Frank Corte, R-San Antonio. Patrick said he likes the compromise version because it “opens up the discussion, the debate” between a pregnant woman and her doctor. “The whole intent of this bill was always to shine light on this moment so the woman has all the information she needs to have before making this decision,” Patrick told reporters. The Senate also sent the House a bill by Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, to establish “Choose Life” specialty license plates, with money from sale of the plates going toward promoting adoption. Perry promoted the license plate bill in December, giving added impetus to an issue that had failed to pass in previous sessions. Texas would join 19 states that have similar plates, which have raised more than $9 million to support pregnant women who are considering adoption. “This license plate will give Texans a subtle but meaningful way to express their personal views, while supporting pregnant women making the decision to choose adoption,” Perry said in a statement. Blake Rocap with NARAL Pro-Choice Texas said license plates shouldn’t carry a political message. He said his group wanted the money limited to licensed maternity homes and child placement agencies, but the bill allows a much broader group, including unlicensed crisis pregnancy counseling centers. “It’s a huge financing mechanism for the other side of the political debate on abortion,” Rocap said.
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