By: Michael Garcia

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick thanked Hughes in a statement after the bill was unanimously passed by the Texas Senate on April 29.

“Since 2021, abortions in Texas have essentially ceased,” Patrick said. “As a Christian and a conservative, I celebrate that tens of thousands of tiny Texans have been saved and that Texas has led the way in protecting life nationwide. SB 31, which is only designed to provide legal clarity for doctors in rare cases when a mother’s life is threatened, is supported by Texas Right to Life, Texas Alliance for Life, and other life groups. I thank Sen. Hughes for his continued passionate defense of life.”

By: Lisa Bast

“I wasn’t going to give up”

When Cooper told the doctor she and her husband were pro-life and wouldn’t consider an abortion, the doctor was taken aback at her response.

“To us, it was such a kick in the gut,” Cooper said. “She saw no value in our son’s life. She saw only his problems.”

One woman’s opinion didn’t stop Cooper from seeking medical care for her son. She arranged to have an echocardiogram and blood work to uncover more information about his condition. The echocardiogram showed a small hole in her son’s heart.

Cooper said, “I wasn’t going to give up. I found a high-risk physician who was pro-life. I also saw my regular obstetrician as well. He was more willing to allowing my husband to accompany me to appointments, which was a relief.”

By: Emily Brindley

With a year and a half until the next legislative session, there are also non-legislative campaigns that could move the needle on Texans’ abortion access.

Joe Pojman, executive director of Texas Alliance for Life, said his focus for now is on the enforcement of Texas’ existing law. Pojman said he’ll be watching for the implementation of continuing education training under the abortion clarification bill. He also wants to see district attorneys take more enforcement action against doctors and others who provide abortion care or access.

Pojman, like Seago, is opposed to medication abortion. But he thinks the solution is the enforcement of existing law rather than additional legislation.

“We do have a problem with drugs being brought illegally into Texas for chemical abortions,” Pojman said. “I’d like to see more aggressive activity by district attorneys to prosecute those crimes.”

By: Steven Ardary

“Since 2021, abortions in Texas have essentially ceased. As a Christian and a conservative, I celebrate that tens of thousands of tiny Texans have been saved and that Texas has led the way in protecting life nationwide,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said after the bill’s passage. “SB 31, which is only designed to provide legal clarity for doctors in rare cases when a mother’s life is threatened, is supported by Texas Right to Life, Texas Alliance for Life, and other life groups. I thank Sen. Hughes for his continued passionate defense of life.”

By: Steven Ardary

Ashley Sosa, from Texas Alliance for Life, said in an April committee meeting that the statue was already finished and ready for installation.

“One day I hope to have kids of my own and walk through the Capitol grounds showing them a monument that beautifully honors the love, sacrifice and sacred bond between a mother and her child,” Sosa said.