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Three abortion-related bills are in the Alabama legislature, all filed in the House of Representatives. Today they were up for discussion in public hearings for the House Health Committee. The Fetal Heartbeat Act would make it illegal for a physician to perform an abortion after a heartbeat has been detected. The Health Care Rights of Conscience Act would allow health care professionals to refuse to perform an abortion if it violates their conscience. And House Bill 527 would allow the Alabama Department of Public Health to refuse a health center license to an abortion clinic, among other details. (4/29)

After months of little movement in the Texas Legislature on proposals to further restrict abortion, the pace is picking up as a flurry of bills moves to the House and Senate floors. Both chambers had taken up some abortion-related bills in legislative committees, but it wasn’t until last week that lawmakers began clearing the way in earnest for a variety of measures to restrict the procedure or impose additional requirements on abortion providers. (Ura, 4/29)

The craftsmanship of a bill authored by state Rep. Molly White, R-Belton, intended to prevent women from being coerced into having abortions was met with skepticism on Wednesday by the chairman of the House State Affairs Committee, who suggested the freshman lawmaker get some "real legal folks" to help draft a better measure. White’s House Bill 1648, which came before the committee, would make it a crime to coerce or force women to have abortions, and create a 72-hour waiting period for women who indicate they are being coerced or forced. But state affairs Chairman Byron Cook, R-Corsicana, left the measure pending after other lawmakers and some anti-abortion advocates raised concerns about the details of the bill. (Ura, 4/29)

The House will vote Friday on a resolution disapproving of a D.C. Law aimed at stopping employers from firing workers because of abortions or contraceptive use. Leadership scheduled the vote after a push from House conservatives, who say the law tramples on the religious liberties of employers. (French, 4/29)

The House plans to vote Friday on a resolution disapproving of the District of Columbia's law preventing employment discrimination based on reproductive health decisions. Congress has the power to stop laws passed by the D.C. council, but it must have the support of both chambers and the president's signature. (Marcos, 3/29)