The Texas Senate on Thursday approved 23-7 a bill (SB 419) reauthorizing the State Board of Medical Examiners that includes an amendment requiring parental consent for minors seeking abortion in the state, the Houston Chronicle reports (Gilbert, Houston Chronicle, 5/27). Under current state law, parents of minors seeking abortion must be notified in writing 48 hours before the procedure takes place. Texas Rep. Phil King (R) earlier this month removed from consideration in the state House a bill (SB 1150) that would have required parental consent for minors seeking abortion in the state. SB 1150, which the state Senate approved 24-5 last week, would have changed the law by substituting the word "consent" for "notification." However, the remainder of the current law -- under which physicians could be charged with a misdemeanor for violating the law but disallows charges to be brought against minors undergoing the procedure -- would have remained the same. The bill also would have allowed for judicial bypass in certain situations. The only major difference between SB 1150 and the parental consent amendment attached to SB 419 is the punishment for physicians who violate the measure. SB 1150 would have imposed a fine of up to $10,000 on doctors who perform the procedure without parental consent of the minor, but the amendment to SB 419 would allow the removal of a physician's license (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 5/25). SB 419 also includes a provision that would allow abortion after 26 weeks gestation only if a pregnant woman's life is in danger or if continued pregnancy could result in brain damage or paralysis to the woman, according to the Dallas Morning News (Hoppe, Dallas Morning News, 5/27). The measure now goes to Gov. Rick Perry (R), who is expected to sign it (Fikac, San Antonio Express-News, 5/27).