A bill to require all women seeking an abortion to receive “counseling” about support services during pregnancy from an agency that may NOT mention an abortion as an alternative zipped through the House today 75-13.

Rep. Jim Dotson said an anti-abortion counseling service in Texas claims that women who receive counseling about pregnancy support services are deterred from having abortions — about one-third of them by their count.

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Dotson drew some questions about the need to mandate women hear the pitch, rather than merely being told that the advice is available. Dotson said legislation that was intended to encourage the Health Department to do this had not been acted on.

The counseling provides no information about support for women after birth or continuing financial help. It’s focus is getting a pregnancy to term.

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The counseling program is a state-mandated replica of the private anti-abortion counseling services that set up near abortion clinics to discourage abortions. Dotson envisions it being run under a contract with a private agency.

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