Remarks To Texas Senate Hearing On Women’s Health
These remarks were delivered today by our Executive Director, Tina Hester, to the Texas Health And Human Services Committee during their hearing on the state of women’s health in Texas.
Chairman Nelson and Committee Members,
Thank you for hearing my testimony. My name is Tina Hester and I am testifying on behalf of myself and on behalf of Jane’s Due Process, a statewide organization that ensures legal representation for pregnant minors in Texas. Jane’s Due Process teaches pregnant and parenting minors about their rights under Title IX and emancipation, and also assists them in the judicial bypass process if they are unable to find or involve their parents in getting an abortion. Additionally, we provide information on where minors can access confidential family planning services through both our website and our 24/7 legal hotline.
As I am sure you are aware, Texas has one of the highest teen birth rates in the country and the highest repeat birth rate. And the Legislature should do everything possible to prevent teen pregnancies. Unfortunately for teens and taxpayers, the Legislature has done the exact opposite and made it harder for teens to access confidential family planning services. Because of the state’s shortsighted and political effort to defund Planned Parenthood, the established network of family planning providers unraveled, leaving in its wake a patchwork of clinics. Because they do not get Title X, they must follow state edits not to dispense birth control without parental consent. This is even more pressing of an issue if you consider that pregnant minors tell Jane’s Due Process that the top two reasons they did not use birth control are parental consent requirements for family planning services and the high costs of birth control. Without access to Title X clinics, where federal laws trumps state edits, more and more will be denied birth control. They need better access to contraceptives, including long acting reversible contraceptives, not worse.
The contractor picked by the federal government to administer the Title X federal family planning funds in Texas – The Women’s Health and Family Planning Association – is valiantly trying to get more Title X clinics back up and online.
While the new monies for women’s health that are being touted in this hearing help fill a gap caused entirely by the current state leadership, they do nothing to help reduce the teen pregnancy rate for minors 17 years and under.
This past week, I spoke with a minor who called one of the primary care centers that is receiving women’s health funds. This health center would not allow her to come in for a pregnancy test without the consent of her parent. She couldn’t even find out if she was pregnant, much less receive confidential birth control because the Title X clinic in her community closed. One of our most vulnerable populations cannot get access to health care because of the decisions of our state’s legislature. This is unacceptable.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
