Senate passes sonogram bill
Jennifer Cox
The Signal
Texas Sen. (R) Dan Patrick proposed the Sonogram Bill that will require women seeking an abortion to have an ultrasound at least 24 hours before having the abortion performed. The bill entails viewing ultrasound images and hearing the fetus’ heartbeat in addition to an explanation of what the doctor may find.
The bill passed the Senate in Texas Thursday, Feb. 17, with a vote of 21 to 10. The bill makes an exception for cases of rape, incest and fetal abnormalities. Even though doctors are required to do an ultrasound, women do have the choice to not see the images or hear the fetus’ heartbeat.
Some organizations have strong feelings against the bill forcing women to have an ultrasound prior to getting an abortion.
“The leading cause of abortion is unplanned pregnancy,” Rochelle Tafolla, vice president of communications & marketing at Planned Parenthood stated.
Tafolla feels having women get an ultrasound before an abortion will not prevent them from proceeding with the abortion.
She said there needs to be affordable birth control in order for the number of abortions to decrease and making the decision to get an abortion is hard enough and having a required ultrasound complicates the situation for women.
Even though women have the choice not to view or hear the images of the ultrasounds, Tafolla feels there is really no choice, asking if women are supposed to “close their eyes and cover their ears?”
Sen. Patrick, on the other hand, wants to ensure that women who are considering abortion have all the facts before making the decision.
“This bill is about a woman’s right to know,” Patrick stated in a press release Sunday, Feb. 13.
He feels that if a women has an ultrasound prior to an abortion, it could possibly change her mind about going through with the procedure.
Patrick also stated in the press release that the bill will provide a “high level of informed consent” and that it would ensure there are “no barriers preventing women from receiving the information to which they are entitled for such a life-changing decision.”
Sara Cleveland, executive director at NARAL Pro-Choice Texas, does not see the bill in the same light as Patrick.
“This bill is an attack on women, plain and simple,” Cleveland said.
Cleveland said the bill “shames women, as if women are daft creatures unable to make personal, private medical decision without the paternalistic oversight of legislators.”
Cleveland also feels Patrick proposed the bill hoping that women would stop and think about the decision they are about to make and possibly change their minds.
Cleveland argues that once women are at an abortion clinic, they have already thought about their decision and have consulted friends and family members – no bill will change their mind.
Vicki Schnell, a physician at The Center of Reproductive Medicine, feels from a medical standpoint it is a good idea to have an ultrasound to make sure a woman is not too far in her pregnancy before having an abortion.
The standard procedures for having an abortion as listed on the Texas Department of State Health Services states that a doctor who is to perform an abortion must tell the woman that assistance may be available to help with medical care before, during and after childbirth.
The father is required to help support the child whether or not he has offered to pay for an abortion.
Government and private agencies can counsel the woman in preventing pregnancy, or refer her to a doctor for medications or devices to prevent pregnancy, including emergency contraception for victims of rape and incest.
The woman has the right to look at printed information. If she chooses to see the material the law describes, the doctor shall give her a copy at least 24 hours before the abortion is scheduled.
The doctor may, instead, mail her the materials, with delivery restricted to her, at least 72 hours before the abortion is scheduled.
However, Schnell feels the bill will not make women change their minds about getting an abortion. Schnell believes that the bill will only “make women feel guilty and not help the decision they have already made.” As for the government, people are given rights but with limitations, and Schnell wonders what’s next.
As it stands, organizations like Planned Parenthood and NARAL are lobbying to get this bill revised.
For more information about the Sonogram Bill, go to www.reuters.com or contact your local state representative. For more information about Planned Parenthood, call 281-337-4618; for NARAL call 805-955-7675.
