By: Madlin Mekelburg, Austin bureau

The Texas House spent six hours Friday debating, amending and eventually passing a bill that would ban certain abortion procedures and require fetal tissue from abortions or miscarriages to be buried or cremated.

The bill started as a two-pronged proposal: It would regulate how fetal remains could be handled and prohibit “partial-birth” abortions. It also included a ban on the donation or sale of fetal tissue from an elective abortion.

By: Madlin Mekelburg

Wrongful-birth suits allow parents of a child born with a genetic disability to sue their doctor if they say they weren’t properly warned about the potential for the disability or counseled on their options, including the parents’ choice to have an abortion based on the severity of the condition. Sen. Brandon Creighton, the author of the bill, said allowing the lawsuits could encourage doctors to seek out every possible disability and even promote abortions to avoid litigation. He also said he takes issue with the idea that there are “wrongful” births.

By: Madlin Mekelburg, Austin bureau

Joe Pojman, executive director of the Texas Alliance for Life, said state programs offer higher quality health care to Texas women than Planned Parenthood. “Women will not see a doctor at Planned Parenthood unless they are there for an abortion,” Pojman said. “Planned Parenthood runs the largest chain of abortion facilities in the state. Women deserve better health care than Planned Parenthood is willing or able to offer, and now, in Texas, they will be able to receive it from thousands of other providers.”

By: Brittney Martin

Joe Pojman, executive director of the anti-abortion group Texas Alliance for Life, predicts access to abortion services won’t change if the restrictions are upheld. At least one clinic would remain in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Houston and, on a limited basis, McAllen. But two clinics in El Paso would close, leaving no provider in West Texas.