Texas enacts new abortion restrictions that include tissue disposal

Published 06/07/2017, 05:14 PM
Updated 06/07/2017, 05:20 PM
© Reuters. Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks at a news conference in Austin

By Jon Herskovitz

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - The Texas governor has signed into law new abortion restrictions that include requiring abortion providers to dispose of aborted fetal tissue through burial or cremation, despite a block on the regulation already imposed by a U.S. court.

Republican Governor Greg Abbott signed what is known as Senate Bill 8 into law on Tuesday and it takes effect from Sept. 1. It also includes a ban on the most common method of second-trimester abortion.

Texas is the most-populous Republican-controlled state. Its abortion restrictions have often been fiercely defended by the state's lawyers and copied by other socially conservative states.

"Texas legislation on abortion is typically amplified because the state can be a beacon for restrictions nationwide," said Elizabeth Nash, senior state issues manager for the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion rights research group.

The anti-abortion group, Texas Right to Life, praised Abbott and the legislation, calling it the" most significant pro-life victory" of the regular legislative session.

Texas crafted a regulation on fetal tissue disposal last year after it suffered a stinging defeat in the U.S. Supreme Court. The court struck down separate abortion restrictions, which were backed by the state's Republican leaders, regarding doctors and facilities.

The Texas fetal tissue regulations were more stringent than regulations in almost every other state, which typically allow aborted fetal tissue to be disposed of in a similar manner as other human tissue, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

In January, U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks in Austin put a temporary halt on the fetal tissue disposal regulation, saying the Texas rule imposed "undue burdens on a woman's right to seek a previability abortion."

After that, the Republican-dominated legislature passed a bill that included the regulation on fetal tissue disposal, with many party leaders saying the measure was necessary to preserve human dignity.

© Reuters. Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks at a news conference in Austin

Abortion rights providers have said the regulation would require the tissue to be treated differently than other human tissue, add another stigma to abortion and increase costs.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2025 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.