Many times, the attempts to reverse the Pro-Life gains made in Texas are obvious – court challenges to the Pro-Life Omnibus Bill (House Bill 2 in the 83rd Legislative Session), bills filed by pro-abortion legislators to essentially gut the Sonogram Law (like Rep. Jessica Farrar’s latest bills as discussed in last week’s video blog), and attempts to create pro-abortion policies.
However, an important and more difficult task is identifying those issues which seem harmless at first, but which upon closer inspection, have the effect of harming Texas’ Pro-Life policies. The difficulty is especially present when Republicans, who are supposed to be primarily committed to protecting innocent human life, promote these dangerous policies. This is another way Texas Right to Life’s legislative team leads in Austin – by keeping an ever-watchful eye.
House Bill 661, carried by Rep. John Zerwas (R- Simonton), and companion bill Senate Bill 190, carried by Sen. Charles Schwertner (R- Bryan), is one such innocuous bill. Dubbed the “Interstate Medical Licensure Compact,” HB 661/SB 190 aims to increase medical license portability across state lines. The measure does not mention abortion, or any other buzzwords commonly associated with the Pro-Life movement. However, the “portability” of a medical license has the potential to open an avenue for abortionists to circumvent Pro-Life laws enacted by our state legislature and Pro-Life agency rules.
A Texas Right to Life ally noted: “If HB 661/ SB 190 passes, then out-of-state abortionists will have the power to obtain the equivalent of interstate medical licenses, ignoring good Texas Pro-Life laws. Texas would not have the ability to have laws contrary to the Commission’s regulations, and disputes would be handled by the federal D.C. court, manned by Obama-appointed judges.”
What a scary thought. Backdoor manuevers to circumvent the law of the land may actually become reality right here in Texas. Such a tactic by the Texas Medical Association (TMA) comes as no surprise, however; read the history of TMA’s hostility to protecting the preborn here.
Hopefully, the impact an Interstate Commission would have on the Pro-Life values of Texans is simply an oversight, and as Republicans, the bill’s authors will modify this legislation to ensure the will of Texans are not overridden by a non-elected, out-of-state body.