Republican Lawmaker Proposes Death Penalty For Women Who Have Abortions In The State

A Republican lawmaker in Texas has introduced a bill that would potentially enforce the death penalty for women who have abortions. The bill would regard as murder any termination of pregnancy after fertilisation.

Texas State Rep. Bryan Slaton posted on twitter:

"Today, I filed HB 3326 to Abolish Abortion in Texas. The bill will end the discriminatory practice of terminating the life of innocent children, and will guarantee the equal protection of the laws to all Texans, no matter how small."

Today, I filed HB 3326 to Abolish Abortion in Texas.

The bill will end the discriminatory practice of terminating the life of innocent children, and will guarantee the equal protection of the laws to all Texans, no matter how small. #txlege pic.twitter.com/W1lpG4q6G1

— Bryan Slaton (@BryanforHD2) March 9, 2021

The Republican went on to say:

"It is time for Texas to protect the natural right to life for the tiniest and most innocent Texans, and this bill does just that. It's time Republicans make it clear that we actually think abortion is murder. … Unborn children are dying at a faster rate in Texas than COVID patients, but Texas isn't taking the abortion crisis seriously."

Due to the fact the bill would charge any woman who had an abortion with homicide, and homicide can carry the death penalty in Texas, any woman having an abortion could face death by lethal injection. The bill also demands the attorney general pursues a:

"Direct a state agency to enforce those laws, regardless of any contrary federal statute, regulation, treaty, order, or court decision."

The issue of abortion has been fiercely fought over in the United States since it became federally legal in 1973 following the Roe v. Wade decision in the supreme court. An anti-abortion stance or 'pro-life' stance has long been a rallying cry of the Christian conservative movement and the radical-right in the United States.

This isn't the first time that a lawmaker in Texas has tried to ban abortion and classify it as murder. In 2019, fellow Republican Tony Tinderholt (R) attempted to have a similar law enacted.

Last week Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, again a Republican, signed a decree stating that all abortions in Alaska should be banned unless the life of the mother was in direct danger.

[h/t: KWTX]