the rules target physicians that provide abortions and the hospitals that care for patients for no reason other than to make it harder to get a safe , legal abortion in texas , " said blake rocap , legislative counsel for naral pro - choice texas . "
the rules that would require abortion providers to cremate or bury fetal remains .
opponents of the rules , led by abortion rights advocacy group naral pro - choice texas , rallied outside the department of state health services building and delivered more than 5,500 signatures from people who oppose the proposal .
department has said the rules with an analysis of financial impact .
( michael reynolds european pressphoto agency ) after months of fierce opposition from abortion clinics in texas will require fetal remains to be cremated or buried instead of disposed in sanitary landfills .
the rules will take effect dec. 19 , according to state health officials , the texas tribune reported .
the new comment period ends monday .
greg abbott ( r ) approved the proposal , saying that he does not believe fetal remains should be “ treated like medical waste and disposed of in landfills , ” the texas tribune reported .
on monday , health officials finalized the new rules prohibiting hospitals , abortion clinics and other health care facilities from disposing of fetal remains — regardless of the period of gestation .