DALLAS — The Texas Medical Board is trying to do what state lawmakers did not by setting guidelines for what constitutes an emergency abortion in Texas and one legislator is urging doctors and women to participate.
“They have a proposal in place, the public has 30 days to comment on it and then they will make the final rule on how they are going to address the medical exceptions to abortion,” said state Rep. Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, a member of the Public Health Committee in the Texas House of Representatives.
The Texas Medical Board met earlier this month to debate potential guidelines but left more questions than answers, Collier said.
“They could have provided more clarity because they have done that in the past. They just piecemealed some regulations or laws that are already in place and they put them together to provide a framework of how they will address any complaints that are filed against a physician,” she said. “Unfortunately, I don’t think we can put this on the Texas Medical Board to make changes. This is something that the legislature is obligated to do and should do.”
Texas doctors have refused to perform emergency abortions in several high-profile cases for fear of violating the state’s strict abortion law. On Sunday’s Inside Texas Politics, Rep. Collier was asked whether the final rule will bring enough clarity for doctors to feel comfortable enough to do this.
“There’s no one answer for physicians. We’re not going to be able to answer every single scenario, so I think we need to look at the legislature and not so much put more pressure on the Texas Medical Board to give us the answers,” Collier added.
Collier urged physicians and Texas women to participate in the public comments before the rule is finalized.
“Let them know where you stand on this issue and give them suggestions on how they could improve this rule so that it’s more meaningful for those under its jurisdiction,” she said.
To participate in the public comments online, click here.
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