The Democratic Caucus in the Texas Senate has submitted a letter to Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst requesting that lawmakers be allowed to study how family planning and better women’s health services could help reduce the number of abortions.
The Democratic Caucus wants to know how much actual funding goes into women’s healthcare and family planning.
Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, said a study of these issues leading up to the next legislative session would reduce unplanned pregnancies and the need for abortions.
"You can figure out that if your daughter has had a baby, she’d had sex at least once. And if we trust that teen mom with all those medical decisions of that baby and that child and yet we still require her to get the consent of her parents to get family planning it’s no wonder Texas leads the nation. We are number 1 in repeat teen pregnancies," Van de Putte said.
The group of Democratic lawmakers also want to look into instituting evidence-based sex education instead of abstinence-only programs.
"In other words, we are calling upon all of our Republican colleagues to not speak out of both ends of their mouth. If they want to reduce the number of abortions -- if they really are concerned with women’s health -- then help women and families access family planning," she said.
Van De Putte said a study of the issue would give the Senate some direction on what bills to write leading up to the 84th legislative session in 2015.
