AUSTIN, Texas -- Conservative state lawmakers are taking another approach to passing anti-abortion legislation this session.
The Senate's health and human services committee took up a slew of bills on the issue Wednesday, starting what is likely to be another long battle over access to abortion in Texas.
But this time, the focus isn't on the health and safety of the woman, instead, they say their focus is on the fetus.
"If we're going to allow these procedures, then the baby shouldn't suffer pain and actually die from the physical dismemberment of their body," said Sen. Charles Perry.
Sen. Perry's bill would mostly prohibit a commonly used second-trimester abortion procedure called "dilation and evacuation." It would also make it a criminal offense for physicians who use that method.
Another bill by Sen. Don Huffines would require that fetal remains be buried or cremated. A Texas health department rule doing the same thing has been temporarily blocked in federal court.
Democrats question why the bill is necessary.
"Could a mother do this right now without your bill,” said Democratic Sen. Carlos Uresti.
Sen. Huffines said they could, but added that the state still has an interest in ensuring the unborn are treated with dignity. Democrats also questioned the cost. Huffines said he believed charities would cover burial and cremation costs.
MORE | Federal Judge Again Blocks Texas Fetal Remains Rules
The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops said they're willing to help.
"We were not aware of the existing rule that allowed for the grinding of unborn children and flushing down a garbage disposal, when we became aware of that last spring, we said, surely we can do better and if no one else will, we will," said Jennifer Allmon, Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops Executive Director.
But Abortion rights groups say that's not how it works.
"The church is not licensed by the TCEQ to transport or dispose of pathological waste. The complete ignorance about how modern medicine works is really shocking and they think they can just come in and say, 'Oh we can fix this.' It is just not true and it puts an extreme burden on physicians and their patients," said Blake Rocap, with NARAL Pro-Choice Texas.
Last summer the US Supreme Court struck down most of Texas' controversial 2013 abortion law. But Senator Perry says he's not concerned about losing any court battles this time around.
"Texas continues to lead and needs to lead on this initiative because one, we seem to have a winning track record going through fifth (Circuit Court of Appeals), and two, we do have an outlook on the Supreme Court that we haven't had in several years," said Sen. Perry.
The other bill heard Wednsday by Sen. Charles Schwertner would codify on the state level, which is the federal ban on selling aborted fetal tissue for profit.
That became a rallying cry for anti-abortion groups after undercover videos released in 2015 appeared to show Planned Parenthood officials discussing the sale of aborted fetal tissue. The clinic denied those allegations and have since been cleared of any wrong-doing.