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[excelsiorlef]

In the aftermath of a car accident in 2014, Denee Booker was told by her doctor that the child she was carrying had died in utero.

To avoid complications, she agreed with her doctor’s suggestion to remove the fetus instead of waiting for it to “naturally pass,” Booker told state health officials during a Thursday hearing on a proposed state rule that would require the cremation or burial of fetal remains.

“That I would have had to take or make either of those decisions is mind-boggling and terrifying,” Booker said of the proposed requirements. “I can’t imagine how much worse that would’ve made my situation.”

Booker was among dozens who testified on a pending rule change that prohibits hospitals, abortion clinics and other health care facilities from disposing of fetal remains in sanitary landfills, instead allowing only cremation or interment of all remains — regardless of the period of gestation — even in instances of miscarriages.

...

With little notice and no announcement, the proposed change was published in the Texas Register on July 1. In a fundraising email sent to supporters last month, Abbott said the rules were proposed because he didn't believe fetal remains should be "treated like medical waste and disposed of in landfills."

...
That prompted outrage from the reproductive rights community, which accused state leaders of placing unnecessary regulations on abortion providers. Medical professionals also raised concerns about who would bear the costs associated with cremation or interment — a figure that can reach several thousand dollars in each case — and why the rule change does not allow an exception for miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies.

During the hearing, opponents of the change reiterated those concerns — which were mentioned by the Texas Medical Association and the Texas Hospital Association in a joint letter to state health officials — and questioned if women who miscarry at home would be required to carry the fetal tissue or bloody products of a miscarriage to a doctor’s office or hospital.

Responding to those concerns, John Seago with the anti-abortion group Texas Right to Life suggested that the health department should clarify the rules so they do not apply to miscarriages that occur at home.

Medical professionals and others have also questioned whether the new rules would trigger a requirement for death certificates so that fetal remains could be cremated or buried.

Under current rules, the state requires funeral directors or a “person acting as such” who take custody of a dead body or fetus to obtain an electronic report of death before transporting the body, according to the associations’ letter.

The Funeral Consumers Alliance of Texas came out against the measure. Sarah Reeves, a representative for the group, testified that the state’s fiscal analysis of the rule change was incomplete because it found there would be no significant cost to individuals or businesses that must comply.

In a letter submitted to health officials, the group’s director wrote that the average “basic fee” for funeral services is $2,000.

...
The proposed rule does not indicate who would pay those costs. Hospitals and abortion providers currently contract with third-party medical waste disposal services.

During the hearing, Joe Pojman, executive director of Texas Alliance for Life, suggested that abortion providers should absorb any “nominal increase” in costs associated with the cremation or burial rule as some funeral homes and cemeteries do in cases of miscarriages.

In questioning the health-related justifications for the proposed rules, Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice Texas testified that state health officials have not provided any evidence that current methods used by abortion providers to dispose of fetal tissue — which have been approved by the state for 20 years — are less safe or not optimal for public health and safety.

State officials have defended the rule change, saying it was proposed in “the best interests of the public health of Texas.” They also say the proposed rule change reflects the state’s efforts to affirm the “highest standards of human dignity.”

Planned Parenthood has pointed out that the proposed rules treat fetal tissue differently than other medical tissue.

The rule change would not apply to other human tissue that might be removed during surgery, for instance, and the existing disposal methods were not modified for the placenta, gestational sac and other tissue that results from miscarriages and abortions, the organization wrote to health officials.

...

“For too long, Texas has allowed the most innocent among us to be thrown out with the daily waste,” Huffines said on Thursday.

A similar fetal remains measure was signed into law in Indiana but was later blocked by a federal judge, who ruled the state did not have a “legitimate state interest in treating fetal tissue similarly to human remains” once a pregnancy was terminated.

A spokeswoman for health department said it would “carefully review” Thursday’s testimony and the more than 12,000 comments that were submitted in writing as they finalize the rule change.

“Once the rules are finalized they will be posted in the Texas Register and would be effective 20 days later,” said Carrie Williams, the department’s spokeswoman. She added the department is hoping to finalize the rule change before the fall.

https://www.texastribune.org/2016/0...al&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=1470340163

Not even trying to hide their attempt to kill abortion by making it unaffordable for many people.

As always it's the poor who will suffer most.

 

[Mattlikewhoa]

What in the actual fuck?! How can anyone get behind such a law?!

 

[Mac the KNife]

So this Abbott guy proposes this measure without doing any research or discussing the idea with any industry professionals. Seems about right.

 

[tcrunch]

Thanks for wasting taxpayer money to attack women and healthcare yet again, assholes.

 

[Slayven]

Thanks for wasting taxpayer money to attack women and healthcare yet again, assholes.

Thats the GOP alright

 

[Spiral Insanity]

State laws have to end. This is terrible on too many levels.

 

[Pagusas]

Something about this is making me think of Witcher 3 and I seriously cant figure out why.

 

[DragonSworne]

How can you die before you are born?


What does this proposed death certificate even say? "Unnamed fetus was never born and died on xyz date"?

 

[Holden]

Something about this is making me think of Witcher 3 and I seriously cant figure out why.

botchling?

 

[Viewt]

Something about this is making me think of Witcher 3 and I seriously cant figure out why.

Well, there's a quest early on where you have to deal with a fetal ghost and putting its spirit to rest. Maybe that's it?

Anyway, this is fucked. It's gross and just blatantly anti-women.

 

[Derwind]

I'm struggling to come up with something to describe how disgusted I feel right now.

 

[Random Painted HIghway]

Txt just keeps abusing tax payer dollars for these eventual court losses

 

[woodchuck]

Greg Abbott is the biggest douche.

 

[Count Dookkake]

This is effed.

Are they gonna have matchbox coffins and cute little tombstones?

 

[The Faceless Master]

i mean, this is disgusting at all levels but wow, reading into this shows just how disgusting the level of ignorance truly is in this pathetic attempt to end-run around women's rights.

Medical professionals and others have also questioned whether the new rules would trigger a requirement for death certificates so that fetal remains could be cremated or buried.

Under current rules, the state requires funeral directors or a “person acting as such” who take custody of a dead body or fetus to obtain an electronic report of death before transporting the body, according to the associations’ letter.

The Funeral Consumers Alliance of Texas came out against the measure. Sarah Reeves, a representative for the group, testified that the state’s fiscal analysis of the rule change was incomplete because it found there would be no significant cost to individuals or businesses that must comply.

how does that even happen?

even the people who would profit from it are against it!

 

[Goro Majima]

Not defending this law at all but $2000 would be for a full "direct cremation" package in even the most expensive places in Texas. Cremation alone is about $600-800 but that's for an entire person and not a fetus.

The "basic fee" average they're quoting is probably an average of all funeral packages which is probably right since cremation prices are dragging down funeral revenues.

Also many small town cemeteries (not the massive SCI/Dignity ones) offer free "baby gardens" but I can't imagine that practice continuing in light of this law.

I imagine many cemeteries and funeral homes would come out against this law (despite their conservative nature) because it decreases the somberness of the whole death care industry by forcing people to, in some cases, pretend to grieve.

edit: the organization quoted in the article is the consumer perspective of death care. An industry organization would be the TCA or the TFDA.

 

[TylerD]

Greg Abbott is the biggest douche.

+1

This is royally fucked up.

 

[bengraven]

They should hire a film crew to make a short film and charge the woman having the abortion: This Would Be Ash's Life (had you not killed him/her). Naturally the kid grows up to be a top athlete turned Doctor turned actor who saves the president, becomes president and retires happily on their porch with a significant other reading the bible. Of course the president part is cut from southern states if the baby was assumed female and the bible part is cut from big cities with liberal colleges.

Twist: it's pure profit for the lawmakers because they actually only shoot one film and use a gender less person as the main actor.

 

[JHoNNy1OoO]

This will never end unless people pushing this shit start getting prison time for when "laws" like this inevitably get struck down.

 

[Transistor]

Greg Abbott is the biggest douche.

As a Texan, I wholeheartedly agree.

 

[Zophar]

Didn't Texas get smacked just last month by the SCOTUS for making abortion laws that were cruel and punitive and not actually about protecting women? I don't see how something like this would survive a court challenge and it seems like a Death Tax.

 

[rrs]

I bet Abbott would ban being poor next

 

[shiftplusone]

♫ the conservative right
don't shine so bright
*clap clap clap*

deep in the heart of texas♫

fuck greg abbott

 

[Dubbedinenglish]

Not only is he wasting taxpayer money to make the law, he gave to defend it and appeal it until it falls in the Supreme Court.

 

[E-Cat]

Completely expected.

 

[thehypocrite]

Why go to such lenghts to antagonize women? Stupid, weak, Sad!!

 

[Timedog]

People that believe in an insane sky wizard watches you take a shit every day try to create equally insane rules when they get to be in charge. Nothing surprising.

 

[DedValve]

Something something something, republicans are evil. Something something something they want to attack the women and the poor.

 

[dskillzhtown]

Didn't Texas get smacked just last month by the SCOTUS for making abortion laws that were cruel and punitive and not actually about protecting women? I don't see how something like this would survive a court challenge and it seems like a Death Tax.

They don't care. Their supporters don't care. It gives them more ammunition to say it is us vs Washington and we are fighting for what is right! With that said, if the democrats down here could produce a credible candidate, I can't see Abbott getting another term. Many GOPers have turned on him and Dan Patrick in the past year. Also having all these companies relocate here has brought dollars and minds who aren't down with his style of politics.

 

[Pagusas]

Well, there's a quest early on where you have to deal with a fetal ghost and putting its spirit to rest. Maybe that's it?

Anyway, this is fucked. It's gross and just blatantly anti-women.

Yep thats it! I was connecting how they had to give it a name and properly bury it with the story. Thanks for jogging the memory.

 

[Rebel Leader]

fuck off texas

 

[Spring-Loaded]

Comic book villains, eat your hearts out