Texas Lawmakers Approve Bill Requiring Sonograms Before Abortions

Texas lawmakers on Tuesday moved forward a compromise bill that would require doctors to have a sonogram conducted before performing an abortion.

“This version provides nearly the greatest informed consent protections allowable by the U.S. Supreme Court to more than 92 percent of Texas women,” the Texas Alliance for Life told LifeNews.com.

The new version of the bill approved by the Senate State Affairs Committee still requires that doctors show women a sonogram, allow her to hear the fetal heartbeat and provide a detailed description of the fetus.

The new draft of the bill includes an exemption for women who are victims of sexual assault, incest, or in cases where the fetus is fatally deformed.

The compromise also exempts women who live in rural counties from waiting 24 hours between receiving the sonogram and having the abortion.

“This law will protect women by ensuring they receive all the relevant information while considering an abortion; furthermore, this bill protects innocent human life,” another pro-life group, Texas Right to Life, said.

The bill goes to the full Senate, and must be reconciled with the stricter House version. If it passes both chambers, Gov. Rick Perry is expected to sign it.