The last time the Texas House was in session it was a raucous affair when a crowd in the gallery essentially shouted down an attempt to pass a restrictive abortion bill after Rep. Wendy Davis' star-making 11-hour filibuster fell just short. After being called back for a second special session by Gov. Rick Perry less than two weeks later the House passed the new abortion limits, according to the Associated Press.
The bill passed with a vote split mostly along party lines to little fanfare. As the legislature debated the bill for over 10 hours on Tuesday demonstrators made their presence felt outside of the state house as they continued to protest, most of the protestors showed on Wednesday for the vote that seemed to be a forgone conclusion after every attempt at amending the bill was shot down by Republicans on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press.
The bill will ban abortions 20 weeks after gestation; the national norm is to ban abortions after 24 weeks. It also requires abortions to be performed in ambulatory surgical centers and forces doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the abortion clinic, according to CNN.
Opponents of the bill claim that it is restrictive enough that it will force the closure of 37 of the 42 abortion clinics within the Lone Star State. Rep. Sarah Davis of Houston, the only Republican who opposed the bill, believes that the bill is unconstitutional because it is so restrictive that it essentially bans abortion, the Associated Press reports.
"I believe the bill as drafted will be a de facto ban on abortion," Davis said. "No one wants to see abortions, it's a terrible way to end a pregnancy, but it's a constitutionally protected right."
"It seems like every time women looked up from doing their laundry of helping children with their homework, the Texas Legislature is right there taking aim at them again," Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said. "Over the past few years, more than 50 women's health centers have been shut down."
Passing the bill was obviously a priority of Gov. Rick Perry who called the legislature back not just once, but twice in order to get a successful vote on the bill. Perry released a statement following the passage of the bill.
"The tremendous outpouring of support for this legislation has demonstrated how Texas stands for life, and I commend everyone who wore blue, turned out and spoke up in support of life in our state," Perry said. "Now is not the time to waver, however, as the Senate continues its important work in support of women's health and protecting the lives of our most vulnerable Texans."
