Gov. Perry Announces Support for Senate Bill 182 and House Bill 36

Press Release

Gov. Perry Announces Support for Senate Bill 182 and House Bill 36

Gov. Rick Perry today announced his support for Senate Bill 182 and House Bill 36, which would require a physician to perform an obstetric ultrasound on a woman at least two hours before a scheduled abortion.

"I am proud of the years we have spent working together to promote a culture of life in our state to strengthen families and protect our children's future," Gov. Perry said. "Although we've made Texas a safer place for the unborn, our work is far from done, which is why I support these pieces of legislation as simple, common sense additions to the protections we offer the unborn here in Texas."

The legislation requires ultrasound imaging of the embryo or fetus and an audible heart auscultation to be performed on expecting mothers in conjunction with the physician's explanation of each procedure. The patient would also have to a sign a written statement certifying requirements are fulfilled before an abortion is performed.

Gov. Perry remains committed to promoting family values and defending unborn children. He recently announced his support of House Bill 109, which would create a "Choose Life" specialty license plate to raise funds to assist pregnant women who are considering adoption as an alternative to abortion for their unborn children.

In 2005, the governor signed Senate Bill 419, which requires physicians to obtain written permission from the parent or legal guardian of a minor child before performing an abortion on that child. The statute gives the Texas Medical Board the authority to enforce this requirement by imposing license violations on physicians who violate it. This law is the most stringent protection of parental rights passed in the state to date.

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