TEXAS (KXXV) — A Texas lawmaker who played a key role in crafting the state’s strict abortion laws introduced a bill on Friday aimed at clarifying the medical exceptions permitted under the law. This marks a shift from previous Republican efforts to uphold the state’s abortion ban amid ongoing legal challenges and medical concerns.
The bill, introduced by Republican state Sen. Bryan Hughes, maintains the requirement that a medical emergency must be present for a physician to perform an abortion but removes the stipulation that the emergency must be life-threatening.
The bill also mandates that doctors and hospital lawyers receive training on the law.
“We’ve learned in several cases where the physician was willing to treat the mother, but hospital lawyers advised against it,” Hughes said. “One of our main goals is to ensure that both doctors and hospital lawyers are properly trained on the law.”
