The debate over when human life begins took a sharp turn in Texas, where a state legislator filed a bill that would define an “individual” as “a human being who is alive, including an unborn child at every stage of development from fertilization until birth.”
Until now, the mantra of the far-right anti-abortion lobby has been that “life begins at conception.”
In common language, “conception” and “fertilization” are used interchangeably. Technically, a person is not pregnant until a fertilized egg, or zygote, implants in the uterine lining.
LoneStarLeft warned its supporters Jan. 29 that House Bil 2197 could make traditional birth control illegal.
“Hidden in the legal jargon is a sweeping redefinition that could criminalize commonly used birth control methods like IUDs, emergency contraception (Plan B), and even IVF,” said the newsletter article written by Michelle Davis.
“This bill … threatens access to reproductive health care under the guise of granting embryos full legal rights.”
“This bill doesn’t just aim to ban abortion. It also threatens access to reproductive health care under the guise of granting embryos full legal rights. If passed, this law could open the door to criminal charges for those using or providing birth control that might interfere with implantation. Texas Republicans seem determined to outdo themselves in their assault on personal freedom and bodily autonomy.”
The bill was filed yesterday by Republican Rep. Brent Money, who represents a portion of deeply conservative East Texas, including Greenville, Sulphur Springs and Canton. He is a first-term representative and this is his first bill to sponsor.
Brent Money
His campaign website says he was endorsed for the position by President Donald Trump. Among the issues highlighted on that website is his commitment to “right to life” policies.
“Every citizen, whether born or unborn, has God-given rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” the site says. “Texas, fueled by prayer and hard work, passed a bill in 2021 that made abortion a first-degree felony in Texas. Major battles have been won, but the war is not over. Many abortions are still occurring in Texas, but instead of happening in a Planned Parenthood operating room, they are happening in people’s homes with mail-order drugs. All forms of abortion must be eliminated.”
His goal, he says, is to make Texas “the most pro-life state in the nation.”
“Major battles have been won, but the war is not over.”
Although Money is new to the Texas Legislature, this is at least the fifth time this bill has been filed. Its previous champion was his East Texas predecessor. The bill never has advanced.
Money told the online news outlet The Texan: “We have a situation in Texas where, for years and years, we have acknowledged that life begins at conception. We have said that killing a baby in a mother’s womb is murder. We have said, I think for decades now, that if you kill a mother who is carrying a baby, that it’s double homicide. And then with the trigger bill, we said, hey, if anyone assists a woman with an abortion, it’s murder.”
“But we still have not said that if a woman does a self-induced abortion, that is a murder. And big picture, the law exists to be a teacher and a tutor of what is right and what is wrong. And so I think it’s important that we provide equal protection for unborn children.”
He pitches the bill as preventing so-called “medication abortions,” which often are done at home through a combination of two common medications.
But critics say the reach could be much more severe.
“While Money claimed this bill was about stopping abortions, it goes so much deeper than that,” Davis wrote for LoneStarLeft. “It would classify the termination of any zygote or early-stage embryos as homicide, effectively turning doctors, patients and even those who use certain forms of birth control into potential criminals. The only exceptions provided in the bill are lifesaving medical procedures if the mother’s life is at risk and spontaneous miscarriage.
“The bill argues that zygotes and embryos should have the same rights and protections as born individuals, using religious and ideological justifications, referring to ‘the sanctity of human life created in the image of God.’ Under this bill, women who use certain types of birth control could theoretically face charges of homicide, a crime punishable by life imprisonment or even the death penalty under Texas law.”
The implications could be even more dire for couples using IVF to become pregnant, Davis warned. Whether or not IVF therapies add to the abortion count is a matter of intense debate among conservatives.
“In vitro fertilization could also face devastating restrictions under this bill,” she wrote. “The IVF process typically involves fertilizing multiple eggs outside the body to increase the chances of a successful pregnancy. However, not all fertilized embryos are implanted; some are discarded, stored, or donated for research.
“Since the bill grants full legal rights to embryos at the moment of fertilization, any unused or discarded embryos could be treated as victims of homicide. Fertility clinics and doctors who follow standard IVF procedures could be charged with criminal offenses for failing to implant every fertilized egg.”
Money’s campaign website says, “Above all, Brent is committed to his faith and his family.” He and his wife, Heidi, met at Greenville Christian School. They have five children, including children adopted through foster care, who are homeschooled.
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