A small group of activists from “HereForJaneTX” appeared at the Capitol on Friday dressed in hospital gowns to conspicuously protest legislation that will protect pregnant minors from perpetuated sexual abuse. House Bill 3994 by Representative Geannie Morrison (R-Victoria) passed the House of Representatives with strong support earlier this month, and passed the Senate last night. Now, the bill, sponsored by Senator Charles Perry (R-Lubbock), will likely be heading back to the House and on to Governor Abbott's desk for final approval.
As usual, radical abortion advocates have engaged theatrics in an effort to protest the Pro-Life, pro-woman legislation. On Friday, eight women visited both friend and foe legislators to voice opinions about HB 3994.
But whether these activists actually understand HB 3994’s proposed changes to the judicial bypass process is unclear. For example, HereForJaneTX says the bill, “would make the judicial bypass procedure so difficult that almost no Jane would qualify for a bypass.” In reality, HB 3994 aligns the bypass process with every other judicial bypass process in the state. Further, these activists argue that the process is affecting about 200 minors per year, when we have no way of knowing how often these secret abortions are occurring because no judicial records of the process are maintained.
HB 3994 tightens overt loopholes in the process, strengthening reporting requirements for pregnant minors whom abortionists or judges suspect may be victims of sexual or physical abuse. Under current law, young girls suffering from abuse can be sent right back into the arms of their abusers without any investigation or protective measures being taken. We wonder why HereForJaneTX is not protesting the current law, and instead taking aim at revisions designed to protect minors.
Those opposing HB3994 act as if the solution to domestic abuse is to give minor an elective abortion& send her back to abusive home. #txlege
— John Seago (@Johnseago) May 18, 2015
