( CNN ) -- Too soon ? While many are still mourning the loss of comedic icon Joan Rivers , Texas Gov . Rick Perry invoked her death to defend a controversial abortion bill he signed last year . `` It was interesting that when Joan Rivers -- and the procedure that she had done , where she died -- that was ( at ) a clinic . It 's a curious thought that if they had had that type of regulations in place , whether or not that individual would be still alive , '' Perry said at a Texas Tribune event Sunday . The regulation Perry referenced requires abortion clinics in Texas to meet the same facility standards as ambulatory surgery clinics in the state . Critics contend that the law is one of the most restrictive in the nation , but Perry told the audience that he supports the measure . `` The will of the Texas legislature -- which I agree with -- ( says ) that it is a state 's right to put particular types of considerations into place -- to put rules and regulations into place -- to make a clinic be as safe as a hospital , '' Perry said . The investigation into River 's death is ongoing , but her personal throat doctor denies `` performing an unauthorized procedure '' before the star suffered cardiac arrest . This is not the first awkward comparison made by the potential 2016 presidential candidate this year . In June , Perry received harsh criticism for an analogy he made between homosexuality and an alcoholism . Up close with Rick Perry 's Hail Mary . `` I may have the genetic coding that I 'm inclined to be an alcoholic , but I have the desire not to do that , and I look at the homosexual issue the same way , '' Perry said at a speech in San Francisco in June . He later walked back his comment explaining , `` I stepped right in it ... We need to be a really respectful and tolerant country to everybody . '' 4 reasons why Rick Perry 's exercise of power got him in trouble .
Rick Perry suggests Joan Rivers might still be alive if she 'd been treated in Texas clinic . Perry signed law that requires abortion clinics to meet the same facility standards as ambulatory surgery clinics .