Sonogram bill passes hurdle, faces Senate vote

AUSTIN—A bill requiring sonograms for women seeking abortions in Texas passed another hurdle on April 12 and now awaits a state Senate vote. If passed there and once more in the House, Gov. Rick Perry has promised to sign it into law.

The Senate State Affairs Committee approved a compromise between similar House and Senate bills requiring physicians to perform a sonogram that allows the pregnant woman to view her unborn baby and to hear its heartbeat. It also requires doctors to describe the fetus’ size and features for the mother.

The Senate committee’s compromise, which retains the House title, HB 15, merged elements of the House-approved version with a Senate version and restored exemptions for cases of sexual assault, incest or fetal abnormality. It also waives the required 24-hour waiting period between the sonogram and an abortion for women who live in rural counties of fewer than 60,000 residents or those who reside beyond 100 miles of an abortion facility.

Sen. Dan Patrick, sponsor of the Senate bill, told the TEXAN that of abortions in the state, more than 93 percent of them were performed on residents of counties with populations exceeding 60,000.

Patrick acknowledged a few pro-life groups have criticized the bill as not stringent enough, but it has garnered support from Liberty Institute, Texas Right to Life and Eagle Forum. It is roundly opposed by abortion rights groups.

“At some point, you have to understand that you can pass a very good bill,” Patrick said. “On a scale of one-to-10 you can pass an ‘8.5’ or a ‘9’…. This is a case of a bill that is a ‘9’ on a scale of 10. But if there are some people who want a 10, then that makes it very difficult.”

The earlier House version, approved in March by a 103-42 margin, was sponsored by Rep. Sid Miller, R-Stephenville. The full Senate will now vote on the compromise bill before the House considers the amended version.

Gov. Perry added the bill to a list of emergency items in the state House in January, which placed it on a fast-track for early consideration in the 82nd Texas Legislature.

Perry told a pro-life rally earlier this year, “When you consider the magnitude of that decision [to have an abortion], ensuring someone understands what's truly at stake seems a small step to take. 

“Those of us here know that when someone has all the information, the right choice, the only choice, life becomes clear.”