PAIN PROTECTION ACT

Fetal Pain Protection Act (HB 1244)
An Opportunity to Address the Concerns of Unborn Children

A majority of Texans are unaware that unborn children have the capacity of feeling excruciating pain because of exposed nerves.  For this reason Rep. Leo Berman filed the Fetal Pain Protection Act on Monday, February 5, 2001. 

This bill would make women aware of the fact that their unborn child is a human being that has the capacity to feel pain.  This has been evident in many studies during the 1980’s that have showed that the unborn child was sufficiently developed to feel pain.  By the late 1990’s, the current medical consensus was that the child feels pain at 20 weeks gestation. 

This bill is further justified under the Casey decision, where the US Supreme Court held that the state has a legitimate interest in providing information to the pregnant mother about the development of her unborn child.  When providing prenatal surgery to save the life of an unborn child, doctors routinely provide the most up-to-date pain control techniques for that child. 

HB 1244 also would provide women the ability to provide pain relief for their unborn child in the tragic circumstance that she wishes to proceed with her abortion. 

Texas Right to Life Committee, Inc. urges each of you to contact your representative and ask them to sign onto the bill.  Let us always strive to give a face to the unborn and stand up for Life!  For those representatives who have signed onto the bill, please thank them for their courageous efforts! 

Those who have signed on: Charlie Howard, Elvira Reyna, Wayne Christian, Suzanna Hupp, Fred Brown, Warren Chisum, Tom Craddick, John Davis, Rick Green, Fred Hill, Phil King, John Longoria, Sid Miller, Geanie Morrison, Todd Smith, David Swinford, George West, Arlene Wohlgemuth, Betty Brown, and Ron Clark.