NCJW Dallas is dedicated to improving the well-being of women, children, and families. We strongly believe in religious liberty and the separation of church and state—core values that are vital to our democracy. We urge lawmakers to protect the reproductive health and rights of all Texans and oppose any efforts to restrict access to safe, legal, and timely reproductive care.
Our stance is rooted in our Jewish values, which emphasize justice, compassion, and respect for individual dignity. NCJW Texas stands firm in our commitment to reproductive justice—the right for all individuals to make decisions about their reproductive health without interference from the government or external pressures.
WHY REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH MATTERS
⏹️ OPPOSITION TO LEGISLATION ON WHEN LIFE BEGINS
NCJW opposes laws that attempt to define when life begins, as they impose one religious perspective on all citizens. Such legislation undermines the fundamental right of individuals to make private, personal decisions about their own health and family life. Religious beliefs on this issue differ, and government should not mandate one viewpoint over others.
⏹️ PROTECTING WOMEN’S HEALTH
Texas’ current reproductive laws create dangerous situations for women, particularly when it comes to medical procedures like miscarriage management. Doctors, fearful of legal consequences, may hesitate to intervene even when a miscarriage is inevitable, leaving women at risk for severe complications, including sepsis, which can lead to death. Women have already died under these circumstances, and others have been left infertile due to medical delays. Doctors must have the freedom to act in the best medical interests of their patients without fearing legal repercussions.
⏹️ CONSEQUENCES OF HARSH ABORTION LAWS
The consequences of extreme abortion laws are far-reaching:
- Medical professionals face moral dilemmas, fearing criminal charges, license revocation, and substantial fines if they provide necessary care.
- Women’s lives are at risk, and many are unable to access timely, life-saving treatment.
- Talent and business are fleeing the state, as companies and young women choose not to relocate to Texas due to fears over reproductive healthcare access.
POSITIONS ON THE 89TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION
✅WE SUPPORT
- HB 1201 (Manuel), HB 2573 (Walle): These bills would establish a pilot program for Medicaid coverage of doula services, improving pregnancy and birth outcomes for low-income women.
- HB 257 (Howard), SB 256 (Alvarado, Blanco, Guiterrez, Eckhardt, Cook, Miles, Menendez & Johnson): These bills would allow doctors to use their best medical judgment without fear of prosecution when treating pregnant individuals.
- HB 395 (Howard), SB 257 (Alvarado, Blanco, Guiterrez, Eckhardt, Cook, Miles, Menendez): These bills would clarify exceptions to abortion bans and repeal certain restrictive laws, ensuring access to abortion services in cases of health risks or severe fetal anomalies.
- HB 585 (Goodwin): This bill would protect access to assisted reproductive technology treatments, including in vitro fertilization, ensuring that families have reproductive options.
- HB 1219 (Plesa), SB 350 (Eckhardt, Alvarado, Guiterrez, Cook & Menendez): These bills prioritize the health of the pregnant individual, allowing treatment that may pose a risk to the fetus but protects the health of the person carrying it.
- SB 31 (Hughes-R) – Relating to exceptions for otherwise prohibited abortions based on physician’s reasonable judgment. The bill gives details about the exceptions, such as ectopic pregnancies or the death of the fetus caused by spontaneous abortion (miscarriage). The bill does not require the physician to delay, alter or withhold medical treatment, provided doing so would cause the death of the pregnant woman or impair her bodily functions.
⛔ WE OPPOSE
- HB 991 (Toth), HB 1651: These bills target abortion access and the distribution of abortion medications, attempting to create a civil liability for abortion providers and distributors.
- HB 1806 (Noble), SB 730 (Campbell): These bills aim to limit governmental entities’ ability to support abortion providers and organizations, further restricting access to services.
- SB 466 (Paxton): This bill seeks to change the definition of “fetal death,” allowing for certificates in cases of fetal death at any gestational age, expanding unnecessary documentation requirements.
- HB 1651 (Schatzline): This bill mandates that abortion medication be dispensed only after an in-person examination by a Texas physician, severely restricting access to medically necessary abortion care.
- HB 1143 (Oliverson): This bill proposes creating a memorial monument for “unborn children” at the Capitol, using state resources to promote a particular ideological perspective.
- SB 2880 (Hughes-R) and HB 5510 (Leach-R) – Relating to abortion, including civil liability for distribution of abortion-inducing drugs, and to the destruction of certain property; making conforming changes and harmonizing conforming provisions; creating criminal offenses; authorizing a private civil right of action.
We will continue to work toward a future where everyone, regardless of their gender or circumstances, has the autonomy to make the reproductive choices that are best for them and their families.