Sweeping Abortion Bill Banning Fetal Tissue Donation, Certain Procedures Passes Texas House

AUSTIN — The Texas House spent six hours Friday debating, amending and eventually passing a bill that would ban certain abortion procedures and require fetal tissue from abortions or miscarriages to be buried or cremated. The bill started as a two-pronged proposal: It would regulate how fetal remains could be handled and prohibit "partial-birth" abortions. It also included a ban on the donation or sale of fetal tissue from an elective abortion. Some House members, frustrated by what they see as a lack of enthusiasm from leaders in the chamber to pass anti-abortion bills, used the measure as a way to revive legislation that had been left for dead. The new additions — including a ban on "dismemberment" abortions — turned the bill into a sweeping anti-abortion measure that addresses priorities of both Texas Right to Life and Texas Alliance for Life, two anti-abortion advocacy groups that tend to butt heads.The House voted 96-47 to adopt Senate Bill 8 on second reading. They'll likely vote Saturday to give the measure final passage and send it back to the Senate, where members will review the lower chamber's amendments.  Continue reading...