State Supreme Court Justices weigh next steps in Texas abortion law | WFAA

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By: Kevin Reece

“We are not in favor of any weakening exceptions,” said Amy O’Donnell with Texas Alliance for Life. “Children who are diagnosed with a disability in the womb or a fatal diagnosis in the womb are as worthy of protection as any other child. And we believe that the language is adequate to protect a mother’s life when a doctor needs to intervene to save her life or to avoid any risk.”

There is no timeline on when the Texas Supreme Court justices will issue a decision. They could leave the law as it is or let the injunction stand until further lower court arguments spell out more clearly what physicians can and cannot do when it comes to abortion in Texas.

Fight against abortion ban goes before Texas Supreme Court | NEWS4SA

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By: Melanie Torre

The Texas Alliance for Life pushed back saying any clarification on the law should come from the Texas Medical Board.

“We are here today because we support the pro-life laws in Texas and we believe the language is adequate to protect a mother’s life,” said Amy O’Donnell, communications director for the Texas Alliance for Life. The organization’s policy analyst, Deirdre Cooper, said she had been in the same shoes as some of the women suing the state, but she does not regret seeing her baby’s fatal trisomy 18 diagnosis to the end—even if her son did not survive.

“Abortion robs that child of the chance at life– no matter how short. It robs the child of the chance of a miracle or the chance that the medical diagnosis is wrong,” Cooper said. “People think these are such difficult situations, but I disagree. There is nothing difficult about not killing your child– no matter his diagnosis,” she added.

Texas Supreme Court hears arguments about abortion ban exemptions | FOX 7

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By: Meredith Aldis

Statistics show the year before Roe v. Wade was overturned, more than 50,000 abortions were performed legally in Texas. After the decision, 44 were performed due to medical emergency.

“Protection for unborn babies should continue. This includes babies with a disability or fatal diagnosis in utero,” Texas Alliance for Life Amy O’Donnell said.

MORE: Austin couple travels out of Texas to get ‘medically-necessary’ abortion

The lawsuit is asking the court to clarify Texas’ abortion laws, alleging the vague language leaves doctors unable or unwilling to administer abortion care, forcing patients to seek treatment out of state or wait until their lives are in danger.

“While there are technically medical exceptions to the bans, no one knows what it means and the state won’t tell us,” Center for Reproductive Rights Molly Duane said.

Texas Supreme Court hears challenge to abortion ban | KXAN AUSTIN

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By: Ryan Chandler

Texas Alliance for Life pointed to data from Texas Health and Human Services that shows 41 abortions have been performed under the ban’s medical exceptions since the ban went into effect.

“We know that doctors are intervening and they are not being disciplined or prosecuted for that intervention,” Texas Alliance for Life’s Amy O’Donnell said. “There is nothing in law that says a woman’s death has to be imminent that she has to become septic or that her baby’s heart has to stop beating before a doctor can intervene and exercise reasonable medical judgment to save the life of the mother.”

Fight against abortion ban goes before Texas Supreme Court | CBS Austin

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By: Melanie Torre

The Texas Alliance for Life pushed back saying any clarification on the law should come from the Texas Medical Board.

“We are here today because we support the pro-life laws in Texas and we believe the language is adequate to protect a mother’s life,” said Amy O’Donnell, communications director for the Texas Alliance for Life. The organization’s policy analyst, Deirdre Cooper, said she had been in the same shoes as some of the women suing the state, but she does not regret seeing her baby’s fatal trisomy 18 diagnosis to the end—even if her son did not survive.

“Abortion robs that child of the chance at life– no matter how short. It robs the child of the chance of a miracle or the chance that the medical diagnosis is wrong,” Cooper said. “People think these are such difficult situations, but I disagree. There is nothing difficult about not killing your child– no matter his diagnosis,” she added.