Texas Bill Requiring Fetal Cremation or Burial Gets First Hearing
Members of the Texas House heard testimony yesterday on legislation that would require medical facilities to cremate or bury fetal remains after an abortion or miscarriage.
Rep. Byron Cook, R-Corsicana, is the sponsor of House Bill 35. He argued the bill wasn’t about abortion, but what he calls the dignity of the deceased.
However, opponents say that the choice to bury or cremate fetal tissue is already available – and that if the bill is passed, women would be forced into a scenario that could violate their religious beliefs.
Deputy First Assistant Attorney General Brantley Starr testified about religious concerns. “There are some Catholic hospitals that currently follow the protocol that HB 35 would set out, and so we believe it’s within the constitutional prerogative of this body to make that rule applicable to all hospitals,” Starr said. “I think one thing that Chairman Cook touched on earlier is this bill doesn’t regulate the woman, it regulates the actual facilities. And so we haven’t seen a facility make a religious objection.”
Read more: http://www.texasstandard.org/stories/c1-news-roundup-2/