Valley reacts to newly filed abortion bill

McALLEN — Pregnant women could be required to view ultrasound images of their fetus and listen to the unborn child's heartbeat before getting an abortion if a bill filed Monday in the Texas Legislature becomes law.

Father Alfonso Guevara of St. Joseph the Worker Church in McAllen said passage of the measure would help "preserve life, not just in the abstract, but in the life of a child."

"It would be doing a favor to the person making the decision," Guevara said. "The weakest members of society are the unborn. ... It is important for people to be compassionate to them."

But others think the measure would place undue pressure on women struggling with the decision.

"You need to be real careful not to pass personal judgment (on a patient)," said Patti Koo, a physician's assistant from Edinburg. "(An abortion) can be such an emotional shock for women."

Koo said the decision to abort is influenced by many factors, such as the woman's level of maturity and her economic stability.

"It's not just biological," she said. "It's a very personal decision."

But Guevara said the measure would help women make a more informed decision.

"Lots of people don't realize that it's a human being," he said.

The bill was one of dozens filed before Texas lawmakers meet in regular session early next year. Also among them was a proposal to establish sanctions for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants and a proposal to create a new law school under the University of Texas System in the Rio Grande Valley.

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Ana Ley covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4428.