Please immediately urge your Texas state representative to support SB 1233 to create a perinatal palliative care program for parents who receive a life-limiting or fatal diagnosis for their unborn child. Parents need information, at the time of diagnosis, about resources for themselves and their unborn child, not a referral for an out-of-state abortion.
The Senate has passed SB 1233, authored by Sen. Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills), and it is now in the House where Rep. Valoree Swanson (R-Spring) is the sponsor. SB 1233 awaits being scheduled by the House Calendars Committee for consideration on the House floor.
SB 1233 must be scheduled within a few days to have a chance at passage. Please immediately make your call or email.
SAMPLE MESSAGES — Use your own words.
PHONE — (You may leave a message after business hours.)
Hello, my name is (name). I live at (address). Please ask Rep._________ to support SB 1233 to create a perinatal palliative care program. Thank you.
EMAIL — first.last@house.texas.gov
The Honorable (Representative Name)
Dear Rep. ___________
I urge you to support SB 1233 to create a perinatal palliative care program. Thank you.
Your name & address
Let us know that you have made your contact.
Send an email with any comments to info@texasallianceforlife.org.
Background
- SB 1233 passed the Senate on a bipartisan vote of 26-5 — Yeas: Bettencourt, Birdwell, Blanco, Campbell, Creighton, Eckhardt, Flores, Hagenbuch, Hall, Hancock, A. Hinojosa, J. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Menendez, Middleton, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks, West. Nays: Alvarado, Cook, Gutierrez, Johnson, Miles, Zaffirini.
- The bill’s finding state that “(1) Palliative care is a critical form of care provided to alleviate the pain and suffering of individuals of with severe life-threatening of life-limiting illnesses or medical conditions; (2) In approximately two percent of pregnancies, the unborn children are no longer prematurely taken by abortion in this state, many of the children described [above] are born alive.”
- From SB 1233: “Perinatal palliative care means the provision of comprehensive, support care to reduce the suffering of a woman who is pregnant or delivers a child, her unborn child or infant, and her family, from diagnosis of the unborn child’s life-threatening or life-limiting illness or medical condition through the duration of the perinatal period and possible death as a result of the illness or condition. The care may be provided concurrently with methods of treatment or therapies that seek to cure or minimize the effects of the illness or condition.”
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