Editorial: Amarillo influences state abortion bills | Amarillo Globe News

Visit Website

By: Amarillo Globe News

There are as many as five abortion-related pieces of legislation in the current special session of the Texas Legislature that have a degree of influence from the Amarillo area.

While none have become law yet, hope springs eternal.

State Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, recently tweeted how he voted for five abortion-related bills supported by Texas Alliance for Life. Indeed, Seliger is an author or co-author of four of the aforementioned bills.

In the Texas House, state Rep. Four Price, R-Amarillo, is a co-author of all five bills. State Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, is an author or co-author of two bills, including being the author of House Bill 214.

After Supreme Court Loss, Abbott Wants State To Track Abortion Complications | KUT

Visit Website

By: Ashley Lopez

But Joe Pojman, the executive director of Texas Alliance for Life, said the new reporting requirements are inadequate. Along with the governor, he wants to see that data-collection system expanded to include reporting for complications during an abortion.

“This bill would simply require hospitals who treat a woman for an abortion complication or … the physician who performs an abortion and causes a complication … to report that to the state,” he said.

Pojman said he suspects that abortion complications are being underreported and this would allow the state to get a sense of whether there are problems.

“It may be that the number of complications is sufficient to increase the safety standards of abortion facilities,” he said. “If so, this law should tell us that.”

Texas governor urges lawmakers to block state funding for Planned Parenthood | The Christian Times

Visit Website

By: Jardine Malado

“It is possible under current law for certain cities or counties to make contracts with abortion providers – even for abortions themselves – and for affiliates of abortion providers,” he said. “And we think that’s essentially funding the abortion industry,” he continued.

As an example, Pojman pointed to the city of Austin, which currently has a contract with Planned Parenthood to teach sex education and STD prevention.

He said he takes issue with taxpayer money going to Planned Parenthood in general even though the contracts were for services other than abortions.

“That means the taxpayers of Austin or anyone who comes to Austin and purchases any kind of item and pays sales tax is essentially funding Planned Parenthood, which is the largest provider of abortions in Texas,” he said.

Lawmakers prepare to file anti-abortion legislation in special session | The Dallas Morning News

Visit Website

By: Eleanor Dearman, State government reporter

Joe Pojman, Texas Alliance for Life executive director, said the group expects the three pieces of legislation to pass because they had support from both chambers during the regular session.

“Special sessions can be very tricky because there’s a much shorter period of time to pass bills, and the governor has asked the Legislature to consider quite a large number of issues,” he said. “There are very good authors that are carrying [the bills]. At this moment we see no issues with the Legislature passing each of those three bills.”