Families told to abort babies defy odds; share stories with Texas Senate Committee

AUSTIN — The Texas Senate Committee on Health and Human Services heard Senate Bill 1033 by Senator Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills) on Wednesday. This priority Pro-Life bill, the Preborn NonDiscrimination Act, would end the remaining late-term abortions in Texas; ban discriminatory abortions motivated by the preborn child’s sex, race, or suspected disability; and expand the network of perinatal palliative care services offered to families whose preborn children are diagnosed with life-limiting disabilities, equipping them to choose Life.

More than 150 individuals showed their support for the bill, outnumbering those opposed 15-1. Witnesses who appeared before the committee included prominent Pro-Life scholars, medical professionals, conservative leaders, and dozens of families of children who were targeted by the late-term abortion loophole in Texas.

Kelly and Daniel Crawford are one such family. The Crawfords chose Life for their son Abel, who was diagnosed with Trisomy 18 in the womb and passed away soon after birth. They later founded an organization, named Abel Speaks, to help families in similar situations. The Crawfords spoke of the healing power of choosing Life, meeting Abel, and treasuring every moment of his short life.

Even after hearing the Crawfords’ heart-wrenching experience, the representative for NARAL Pro-Choice Texas suggested not everyone wants this type of child.

However, medical professionals underscored the Crawfords’ testimony by emphasizing the need to expand access to perinatal palliative care, rather than abortion. Anna Higgins, Associate Scholar at Charlotte Lozier Institute, defended the constitutionality of this policy. The Republican Party of Texas and Texas Young Republicans both named the Preborn NonDiscrimination Act a priority for their organizations.

The Preborn NonDiscrimination Act is Texas Right to Life’s top abortion-related priority for the 86th Texas Legislature. We applaud Senator Hancock for carrying this life-saving legislation and Chairwoman Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) for scheduling the hearing and for spending the entire day at the hearing, extending grace and compassion to hundreds of witnesses who shared beautiful stories of choosing Life in the face of pressure to abort. We look forward to the committee voting out SB 1033 soon and receiving a vote by the full Senate.

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