A Republican state lawmaker in Texas has introduced a bill that would criminalize abortions.
House Bill 948 would mandate that the state attorney general's office ignore "any contrary or conflicting federal statutes, regulations, executive orders, or court decisions" and treat the procedure as a felony except in cases where the mother's life was threatened because of pregnancy complications. Abortion was legalized federally in 1973 following the Supreme Court's decision in Roe vs. Wade.
The bill defines a fetus as a "living human child" from the moment of conception and removes provisions under state law exempting women and abortion providers from being prosecuted for criminal homicide.
The measure's sponsor, state Rep. Tony Tinderholt (R) said in a statement on 12 January 2017 that the bill "answers [the] call" set forth by his state party when they stated their intent to abolish abortion during their 2016 state convention:
Since my first day in office, I’ve stated life begins at conception. Facts and science are on my side. I’ve defended innocent life my entire career and am honored to continue that fight with the filing of HB 948.
NARAL Pro-Choice Texas executive director Heather Busby called Tinderholt's proposal "the most extreme measure" her group had seen in the state legislature in a response:
It takes away a pregnant person’s legal rights and could open up to investigation and prosecution of anyone who has a miscarriage or who seeks an abortion. When politicians criminalize safe medical procedures, they put patients’ health and safety at risk.
In June 2016, the Supreme Court struck down a provision in another Texas law, House Bill 2, requiring abortion providers to have admission privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of their facility.