Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wants aborted babies to be buried or cremated instead of being treated like medical waste, according to his spokeswoman Ciara Matthews.
The Health and Human Service Commission in Texas has proposed new rules that would require abortion service providers to either bury or cremate fetal remains as part of an effort to regulate these institutions. Health commissioner spokesman Bryan Black said the rules seek to maintain “the highest standards of human dignity,” the Texas Tribune relays.
As of now, abortion providers employ third-party waste disposal services and fetal remains are usually dumped in sanitary landfills. Under the proposed rules, only cremation or interment of aborted babies will be allowed regardless of the age of gestation.
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“… private parties, have offered to bury fetal remains without charge. Other parties also offer discounted or free services associated with the disposition of fetal tissue. For these reasons, the department estimates no fiscal impact.”
The new rules are part of Gov. Abbott’s L.I.F.E. Initiative, a four-point plan for increasing life-affirming support, eliminating taxpayer funding for abortion providers, and ending abortions in the state. The governor said the rules are needed to demonstrate their respect for the sanctity of life.
In a statement to Life News, Texas Right to Life legislative director John Seago applauded the new rules, saying they are a small step toward protection of the unborn from abortion. The group is also urging state lawmakers to do something to protect unborn babies from the gruesome second-trimester abortion procedure called dismemberment abortion. Seago said the success of a pro-life movement is measured by the number of lives saved and not by the number of rules