HOUSTON, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Governor of Texas Greg Abbott on Monday proclaimed Jan. 22, 2018 to be the Sanctity of Human Life Day in the southern U.S. state as part of his "pro-life" agenda.

The governor said the occasion is a part of the steps "our state has recently taken to promote a culture of life."

"I defended Texas laws that preserve the rights of the unborn," said Abbott, pledging to continue "this mission by signing several pro-life bills."

According to the governor, partial-birth abortions and dismemberment abortions are now banned in Texas. The sale or donation of baby body parts is prohibited. And burial or cremation of babies lost to abortion is now required.

Abbott signed two abortion-related bills into law in August last year, including one that his office calls "pro-life insurance reform."

The new laws involve insurance coverage for abortion and reporting rules about complications. Supporters said the measure allows those who oppose abortion to prevent their money from subsidizing the procedure, while critics said it would hurt poorer women who could not afford the coverage.

More than 54,000 Texans had abortions in 2015, according to the state's Department of Health and Human Services.

In 2016, Texas' controversial House Bill 2 (HB2) required doctors performing abortions have hospital admitting privileges. It also required some abortion clinics upgrade their facilities with more hospital-like standards - even though many abortions are now performed with pills, not surgery.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the Texas law, saying it posed an undue burden on women seeking abortions.