UPDATE 1: I said I'd keep you posted on what to do next: here it is. You need to start contacting your Texas Representative who is in the House.
And, I have even more good news. Both SB 2089 and SB 1033 have passed in the Senate and need to be passed in the House. Texas Right to Life reports that, "Additionally, the House Committee on State Affairs passed the #1 abortion-related Pro-Life priority bill, the Preborn NonDiscrimination Act (PreNDA) [SB 1033], to the Calendars Committee today."
This one form in this link will help you contact your Representative and ask them to support both bills in the House. (Remember, this is your State Representative, not your U.S. Representative. Sometimes that's a bit confusing to people.)
As time goes on, however, you may need to contact them more than once and by more than one means - maybe email and phone. YOU - the grassroots, the voters, the constituents, the persons directly affected by these laws - are what were able to combat the very, very monied opponents not just of these bills, but opponents of life.
As Texas Right to Life stated:
Let's rejoice today, but the work is not over yet. Session is not over yet, but time is really running out. Nevertheless, much good can be done in a short period of time if everyone does their part.
UPDATE 2: My friend Yvette DeOtte, who along with her husband, Rich, is 1/2 of a major pro-life and conservative power couple in this state (they do things that help every single one of us and I am so grateful for them), ripped this video from the Senate proceedings today for me. (She's a master at it; I can't figure it out.) It's the entirety of the debate and vote on SB 2089. Please watch it all. I think it will be very enlightening to you as to where people stand and what their objections still are with a 45 day extension. You need to understand where everyone is coming from and what the responses are.
It's probably a bit (great deal?) of foreshadowing as to what we should expect from the Usual Suspects as things heat up in the House. Speaking of foreshadowing, here's what one of them tweeted today:
I told you. I can only read that as they are upset about the 45 days - even with their amendment - they don't like the 45 days. Where they go from here will tell you a great deal. I think it'll be proof-positive of what a lot of us have known for many years. But I am always prayerful and hopeful for genuine conversions here. I'd be happy to be wrong and have them jump on board and leave SB 2089 as it is with 45 days and work with us. (I'd also like world peace and an end to hunger.) Stay tuned...
Also, I'll look into that amendment which was confusing to a number of us, including, it seems, some Senators. But from what I understand from others, it may be ripped largely from SB 2129 which they opposed. I'll report back when I have more time to analyze and compare it to SB 2129. I suspect this was a face-saving maneuver. The big deal here is extending the deadline for transfer. So far as I am aware, they have always opposed anything much over 10 days. Remember that has been the law since 1999 and remember also that they constantly go on about what was done in 1999 as if that was the doing of God himself and perfect. (I'm personally aware that once in 2013 they amended SB 303 to 21 days, but then back to 14.)
UPDATE 3: I have an late-breaking update on Mrs. Jones as well. They are attempting a transfer but there are difficulties. There is also now a GoFundMe for her that is linked from that article. She has been off the vent since 2 p.m. yesterday. The hospital is refusing to allow her dialysis which she should have had today. She's not out of the woods yet and this is certainly demonstrating how monstrous the current law is as it is applied to human beings. It's really an outrage.
Mark Lee Dickson, a wonderful compassionate pro-life warrior, who I do not yet know in person, is currently with the Jones' and is posting live updates on his Facebook page. They are all public so I suggest you check there from time to time.
Please keep praying for Mrs. Jones and her family. What a terrible thing to go through. Senator Hughes addressed this sort of thing when he said that when we are dealing will illnesses like this, families are rushing trying to find a transfer for their patient rather than cherishing their last days with them (in some cases). He is right. For others, they are fighting to save someone who will live. It's not something anyone should have to go through.
And, as a relevant aside, my own Senator Nathan Johnson is a disappointment of the greatest magnitude. (I am neither shocked nor surprised.) When I saw him oppose SB 1033 and NARAL Texas rejoiced and praised him on Twitter I was unimpressed. But he went even beyond that in this context. He quotes Dr. Robert Fine and the talking points of the Usual Suspects. In time I may be posting about that. In the interim, see for yourself by watching the video above. Clearly, he needs to be replaced by a solid pro-life person. Unfortunately, he's in office until 2022. But I think efforts need to be underway soon to start searching for a viable candidate to oppose and replace him. It's never too soon to start planning.
UPDATE 4: Texas Right to Life has just started a fundraiser to help Mrs. Jones be transferred but time is really short for it. Please read about it and give if you can!
Thanks for reading these updates!
ORIGINAL POST: This is probably going to be my shortest post ever and I'll provide more details about moving forward soon, but
And, I have even more good news. Both SB 2089 and SB 1033 have passed in the Senate and need to be passed in the House. Texas Right to Life reports that, "Additionally, the House Committee on State Affairs passed the #1 abortion-related Pro-Life priority bill, the Preborn NonDiscrimination Act (PreNDA) [SB 1033], to the Calendars Committee today."
This one form in this link will help you contact your Representative and ask them to support both bills in the House. (Remember, this is your State Representative, not your U.S. Representative. Sometimes that's a bit confusing to people.)
As time goes on, however, you may need to contact them more than once and by more than one means - maybe email and phone. YOU - the grassroots, the voters, the constituents, the persons directly affected by these laws - are what were able to combat the very, very monied opponents not just of these bills, but opponents of life.
As Texas Right to Life stated:
Thousands of Texans like you asked the Texas Legislature to make LIFE a priority. Because of you, two crucial Pro-Life priority bills advanced today, but the battle is not finished yet!
Let's rejoice today, but the work is not over yet. Session is not over yet, but time is really running out. Nevertheless, much good can be done in a short period of time if everyone does their part.
UPDATE 2: My friend Yvette DeOtte, who along with her husband, Rich, is 1/2 of a major pro-life and conservative power couple in this state (they do things that help every single one of us and I am so grateful for them), ripped this video from the Senate proceedings today for me. (She's a master at it; I can't figure it out.) It's the entirety of the debate and vote on SB 2089. Please watch it all. I think it will be very enlightening to you as to where people stand and what their objections still are with a 45 day extension. You need to understand where everyone is coming from and what the responses are.
It's probably a bit (great deal?) of foreshadowing as to what we should expect from the Usual Suspects as things heat up in the House. Speaking of foreshadowing, here's what one of them tweeted today:
I told you. I can only read that as they are upset about the 45 days - even with their amendment - they don't like the 45 days. Where they go from here will tell you a great deal. I think it'll be proof-positive of what a lot of us have known for many years. But I am always prayerful and hopeful for genuine conversions here. I'd be happy to be wrong and have them jump on board and leave SB 2089 as it is with 45 days and work with us. (I'd also like world peace and an end to hunger.) Stay tuned...
Also, I'll look into that amendment which was confusing to a number of us, including, it seems, some Senators. But from what I understand from others, it may be ripped largely from SB 2129 which they opposed. I'll report back when I have more time to analyze and compare it to SB 2129. I suspect this was a face-saving maneuver. The big deal here is extending the deadline for transfer. So far as I am aware, they have always opposed anything much over 10 days. Remember that has been the law since 1999 and remember also that they constantly go on about what was done in 1999 as if that was the doing of God himself and perfect. (I'm personally aware that once in 2013 they amended SB 303 to 21 days, but then back to 14.)
UPDATE 3: I have an late-breaking update on Mrs. Jones as well. They are attempting a transfer but there are difficulties. There is also now a GoFundMe for her that is linked from that article. She has been off the vent since 2 p.m. yesterday. The hospital is refusing to allow her dialysis which she should have had today. She's not out of the woods yet and this is certainly demonstrating how monstrous the current law is as it is applied to human beings. It's really an outrage.
Mark Lee Dickson, a wonderful compassionate pro-life warrior, who I do not yet know in person, is currently with the Jones' and is posting live updates on his Facebook page. They are all public so I suggest you check there from time to time.
Please keep praying for Mrs. Jones and her family. What a terrible thing to go through. Senator Hughes addressed this sort of thing when he said that when we are dealing will illnesses like this, families are rushing trying to find a transfer for their patient rather than cherishing their last days with them (in some cases). He is right. For others, they are fighting to save someone who will live. It's not something anyone should have to go through.
And, as a relevant aside, my own Senator Nathan Johnson is a disappointment of the greatest magnitude. (I am neither shocked nor surprised.) When I saw him oppose SB 1033 and NARAL Texas rejoiced and praised him on Twitter I was unimpressed. But he went even beyond that in this context. He quotes Dr. Robert Fine and the talking points of the Usual Suspects. In time I may be posting about that. In the interim, see for yourself by watching the video above. Clearly, he needs to be replaced by a solid pro-life person. Unfortunately, he's in office until 2022. But I think efforts need to be underway soon to start searching for a viable candidate to oppose and replace him. It's never too soon to start planning.
UPDATE 4: Texas Right to Life has just started a fundraiser to help Mrs. Jones be transferred but time is really short for it. Please read about it and give if you can!
Thanks for reading these updates!
ORIGINAL POST: This is probably going to be my shortest post ever and I'll provide more details about moving forward soon, but
SB 2089, as amended, just PASSED the Senate
by a vote of 22-8!
What is the amendment? It extends the 10-day limit to 45 days and compromised on the treatment until transfer that was in the original bill. Experience shows that this helps most, but not all patients in this situation. I can, however, support this as significant improvement, not just incremental. Understand the time limit has been the most troubling aspect of this law and it is something that was just a tremendous political wall. (Donald Trump would be envious of how impenetrable this wall has been.) Until now. This is a great day!
Now, let's see if the Usual Suspects can support this. There were indications based on some of the speeches the few opposing this gave that the "stakeholders" that include the TCCB, TMA, TAL, etc. (on this blog, referred to as "the Usual Suspects"), were not happy, but it's hard to tell just yet. They have all misrepresented what the original SB 2089 would do as well as what the existing law does to patients, and so forth as this blog has covered repeatedly. But one thing they all complained about this time was "indefinite" provision of life-sustaining care. I addressed how this was not true in my last post.
But now there is a cutoff and even by their own faulty terminology and logic there is a limit; it is not "indefinite." Will they still oppose this? If they do, it will tell you plenty about their true motivations.
Now, to be clear, this will not help Mrs. Jones. It is not law and laws don't generally apply retroactively. Mrs. Jones is still breathing on her own, last I heard. Senator Hughes mentioned her. He mentioned that the hospital would be withdrawing her dialysis. I fear that her care will continue to be withdrawn and that the effort to hastened her death by involuntary passive euthanasia will be successful. Memorial Hermann could always reverse course and reinstate her life-sustaining care, but I've seen no indications it is willing to do so even after so much media attention. But her suffering at the hands of existing law will not have been in vain. It was her case that brought awareness to this law in a timely fashion. Senator Hughes mentioned that they were considering this now in an expedited way, in the 11th hour no less, because they heard from you! It makes a difference!
Thanks are due to the unwavering pro-life leadership and commitment of Sen. Hughes who authored the bill, but also co-authors Senators Hall, Perry, and Creighton. And, thanks to Texas Right to Life who, while working to help Mrs. Jones, also worked so hard to get this passed and lobbied for it and dealt with a lot of BS, too, from the haters as they too often have to.
Please continue to pray for this bill, but offer prayers of thanksgiving for this success along the path. It has to be passed in the House now. I will keep you updated and we will need your help again as this proceeds to the next step.
Thanks for reading!
