The Texas House heard a long debate on Wednesday over whether or not to allow minors seek abortions without parental consent. The Texas House approved a preliminary reading of a measure to cause changes in the judicial bypass process meant for teenage girls to have abortions if they fail to get required parental consent.

All women seeking abortions are required to verify their age with physicians using government-issued identification as per House Bill 3994, authored by Rep. Geanie Morrison, R-Victoria. The bill also creates several changes to the existing judicial bypass system and it passed 98-47.

Going by current Texas law, all teenage girls seeking abortion are required to have consent from at least one parent or legal guardian. In the lack of consent, minors could knock the doors of courts to obtain a judicial bypass. The bill is intended to further restrict the process and establish new standards of evidence.

The passed measure would require minors seeking a judicial bypass to do so through a court within their county or the county they want to have an abortion. They are also required to appear before the court in person to obtain the permission for abortion.

A number of additional considerations for the court would also be added to take into account while reviewing a minor's case, including age, life experiences etc.

Tina Hester, executive director of Jane's Due Process, a nonprofit organization that provides legal representation to pregnant minors, said, "There are only approximately between 200 and 300 minors who seek a judicial bypass on an annual basis. As we've learned, they've found every other way to cut off access to abortion, now they're going after the most vulnerable individuals". The House is required to give final approval to the measure before moving it to the Senate.