April 21, 2011

 Open letter to the Texas State Senate and House of Representatives:

 As pastors deeply involved in our communities, profoundly committed to the Biblical standards of justice and passionately dedicated to leading our congregations to be proactive in defending the sanctity of innocent human life, we urge the passage of CSHB 15.  There is no legitimate question that every abortion involves the taking of an innocent human life without due process of law, nor that the collateral emotional and physical harm to women have devastated millions of lives. CSHB 15 is a basic, albeit limited measure which would do the following*:

·        Prior to every abortion, the physician who will perform the abortion or a certified sonographer must perform a sonogram before any sedative or anesthesia is administered. Currently, as revealed by public testimony, every abortion in Texas is preceded by a sonogram, and first trimester abortions are preceded by transvaginal sonograms. However, current Texas law has no sonogram standards for abortion facilities, and even transvaginal sonograms are performed by poorly trained, uncertified individuals, according to the public testimony.

·        Before every abortion, the physician must give an explanation of the sonogram images of the unborn child. The woman may waive this right only in cases of rape, incest, fetal abnormality, and judicial bypass for a minor.

·        Before every abortion, the physician must allow the woman to see the sonogram images of the unborn child and hear the heartbeat along with a verbal explanation of the heartbeat.

·        At least 24 hours before every abortion, the physician must have a private consultation with the woman to discuss the procedure, medical risks, and alternatives. This ensures that every woman has the right to speak with the abortion doctor at least 24 hours in advance about risks, complications, and alternatives, just as they would receive from a physician prior to virtually any other procedure.

·        For women who reside in counties with more than 60,000 people (more than 92% of women seeking abortions), the sonogram must be performed at least 24 hours before the abortion, and the consultation must be given in person.

·        For women who reside in smaller counties or more than 100 miles from an abortion provider (less than 8% of women seeking abortions), the sonogram may be performed at least two hours before the abortion and the 24-hour private consultation may be done by phone.

·        The Texas Medical Board must take appropriate action against physicians who violate this law.

·        The Department of State Health Services must make random, unannounced inspections to ensure compliance.

1.     Overview of the Parental Divorce Reduction Act (HB 2855)

 ·        The Parental Divorce Reduction Act is a new proposal to reduce divorces involving marriages with children.

·        A broad consensus of studies finds that divorce has serious negative lifelong psychological consequences for children, and costs taxpayers billions of dollars annually.   A significant number of these divorces are avoidable. The goal of this Act is to reduce divorces where minor children are involved.

In testimony before a U.S. Senate subcommittee, Dr. Patrick Fagan of the Heritage Foundation presented the results of extensive studies that show devastating impact on children individually and society as a whole as divorce skyrocketed (The Impact of Marriage and Divorce on Children):

“The children of parents who reject each other suffer: in deep emotional pain, ill health, depression, anxiety, even shortened life span; more drop out of school, less go to college, they earn less income, they develop more addictions to drugs and alcohol, and they engage in increased violence or suffer it within their homes.” (emphasis added)

“Society also suffers with more gangs, more assaults, more violence against women and children, more sexual abuse of women and children, and much bigger bills for jails, increased need for health care, supplemental education,