public health

Written legislative testimony on Texas heart beat act

word count- 2500 words

KINE 5378: Written Testimony

In this class, you will have the opportunity to prepare a written legislative testimony statement for your peers, who will act as a state or federal legislative committee, regarding the public health issue you researched for your policy paper.

Format:

· Single-spaced;

· 2,500 words;

· Left-justified paragraphs,

· Single space between paragraphs;

· Section headings in bold;

· 11 pt. font;

· 1-inch margins;

· Cover sheet should include:

· Your name;

· Organization you are representing;

· Name and date of the legislation/policy you are addressing;

· Name of the legislative body and committee receiving the testimony.

· Graphics, charts need to be labeled (Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3, etc.) and referenced in the text (e.g., “as shown in Figure 1”).

· All factual statements must be supported by properly cited references, both in in-text citations and on a References page. You may choose to use APA-style in-text citations/references or footnotes.

Content
:

· Acknowledge the legislative committee’s ranking member(s) and committee members.

· Briefly introduce yourself, highlighting your background as applicable, and provide information regarding the organization or program you represent.

· Refer to legislation/policy you will address; summarize the major points of the text.

· State your goal and outline your major points.

· Discuss adverse consequences that could occur under the current policy, citing evidence.

· Legislators can be moved to act by showing how a policy affects people, so if possible, include one or more anecdotes of real individuals who have been impacted by components of the current policy.

· Describe the health problem(s) you are attempting to mitigate.

· As applicable, describe current efforts to resolve the problem, including their limitations and/or how they can be improved.

· List your specific recommendations, citing evidence suggesting they would be effective. 

· Close with brief summarizing statements and appreciation for their time and consideration.

Name: Aayushi Kalpeshkumar Potla ( Student ID- 1001872209)

Legislative testimony preliminary write-up

1. General topic, including country:

Today I am going to right about Texas Heartbeat Act which was enacted in May,2021 and it commenced in September,2021 in USA. This bill was introduced by Bryan Hughes and signed by:

Senate President 

Dan Patrick

House Speaker 

Dade Phelan

Secretary of State vacant

House Chief Clerk Robert Haney

Governor 

Greg Abbott

2. Legislation you will address in your testimony:

According to bill the abortion is bans after the ultrasound detects the heartbeat of fetal and which is as early as possible around sixth week of pregnancy.

3. Organization you will represent:

I want to represent the American Academy of Family Physician to support against the Heartbeat Act.

4. Legislative committee you plan to address:

I plan to address the Public Health Committee. Also I can ask local senator to draft a law or can file petition in local county court.

5. Summary of issue and significance:

There are some issues with this act, and they are as follows:

It says that woman can not terminate her pregnancy after 6th week of gestation but how would woman know before 6th week because it can be misguided by delayed menstruation. If woman will know about the pregnancy then also for the termination of pregnancy with medical (Surgical) procedure she have to wait until she did not get appointment and as we all know that for any medical procedure person will have to wait for so long. Even for regular health check-up people of USA have to wait for couple of month.

The second issue I want to address that What if a Pregnancy is a result of Rape then how to deal with the situation. Because in that case girl will be going through the recovering process mentally as well as physically. She will not be in that state that she can decide about the termination or keeping the pregnancy. According to one report many girls did not complained about the rape because of fear of community.

Third issue I want to address that what if the child is having some medical condition such as Mental Retardation (called as Specially able) or what if the child have genetic disease. In that case it is not detectable in early trimester of pregnancy. It can be only detectable with the development of baby can occur in mother’s womb. In that case the termination is better option rather that suffering life long with that disease.

In addition, if woman is a single mother, due to poverty or low income parents can’t afford the expenses of an extra child. According to bill government will provide the prenatal, child-birth and neonatal grant to the mother. But Is it sufficient for the life long expenses. Parents have to look out for their education, living cost, marriage and many more. This expenses will not covered by grant given by the government. Ultimately, it will create a burden on the family.

6. What you anticipate recommending (at this point, knowing it could change):
Optional: Are there any challenges you are encountering at this point regarding the topic, research, legislation, legislative committee, etc.?

At this point I would like to suggest that the government have to reviewed about the bill and they can also take some guidance regarding the abortion from the abortion bills passed by different countries.

Here, I would like to say about the MTP Act, which is imposed in India and according to that act Termination of pregnancy is permitted for a broad range of conditions up to 24 weeks of gestation as detailed below:

When a pregnant woman’s life is threatened, or her bodily or mental health is jeopardized by continuing the pregnancy.

When there is a significant possibility that the kid will be severely disabled if born or dies due to physical or mental defects.

When a woman becomes pregnant as a result of rape (which is thought to have caused serious mental harm to the lady).

When a pregnancy occurs due to failure contraception (presumed to constitute grave injury to mental health of the woman).

When the family’s socioeconomic situation is not good, and the couple already has two or three children

If woman’s marital status will be changed during pregnancy.

Women with physical disabilities.

Minor.