NATIONAL PRO-LIFE NEWS
Texas Gov. Signs Unborn Victims and Right to Know Bills
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
June 22, 2003
Austin, TX (LifeNews.com) — Governor Rick Perry signed two key pieces of pro-life legislation last week.
One bill allows criminals to be prosecuted for killing or injuring unborn children during the course of an assault against a pregnant woman. The other allows women the right to know information about abortion’s risks and alternatives 24 hours prior to having an abortion. Similar bills in other states have
been credited with significantly reducing the number of abortions.
Pro-life groups hailed the passage of the bills and praised Perry for signing them.
"Governor Perry’s signature on these pro-life bills marks history
for Texas women, their health, and their unborn children,"
Elizabeth Graham, Associate Director of Texas Right to Life told
the Pro-Life Infonet."Women will now be empowered to make
informed choices regarding their pregnancies; they will be
informed of all the dangers of abortion prior to their decision."
The "Right to Know" bill by Rep. Frank Corte, R-San Antonio, also
requires that women be offered photographs of fetal development.
Abortion advocates opposed the right to know bill saying it would
make abortions more difficult to obtain, especially for women in
rural areas where no abortion facilities are nearby.
Graham said Texas Right to Life worked closely with Governor
Perry on the legislation and the bills had his strong support
throughout the legislative process.
"Governor Perry recognized the deficiency in Texas that the
unborn children of pregnant women were not protected under Texas law," Graham explained.
Sen. Ken Armbrister, D-Victoria, sponsored the unborn victims
bill. It defines an unborn child as a person under law from the
moment of conception to allow them to qualify as victims under
homicide and assault statutes.
