Despite Wendy Davis' dramatic filibuster delaying Texas' abortion bill, the Republican-dominated Texas legislature is expected to support the measure which would ban most abortions for women more than 20 weeks pregnant. Just this year, 17 states passed new measures impacting abortion. NBC's Kate Snow reports.
By Matthew DeLuca, Staff Writer, NBC News
Texas legislators moved Friday to overturn a temporary victory by state Democrats and standard bearer Sen. Wendy Davis, debating a bill containing new restrictions on abortions procedures.
The bill in the Republican-controlled Senate, which comes two weeks after the legislature failed to put the restrictions to a successful vote in its first special session, would ban most abortions past 20 weeks of pregnancy, place new requirements on which facilities could perform the procedures, and would limit a woman?s ability to induce an abortion by taking a pill.
Abortion rights advocates, including Planned Parenthood of Texas, have said that the new law would effectively shut down all but six of the facilities where abortions are performed in the state.
Pro- and anti-abortion activists flooded the Texas Capitol on Friday afternoon, setting the stage for a dramatic ideological showdown. Abortion rights advocates wearing orange were holding gynecological devices and signs, while anti-abortion advocates dressed in blue carried images of fetuses and Bible verses, according to The Associated Press.
After 20 amendments were offered, debated and rejected, senators prepared for a vote could take place Friday evening or possibly early Saturday morning. Reporters inside the chamber said protesters could be heard chanting outside, and some protesters who were in the gallery were removed after outbursts.
As the time approached midnight, senators debated back and forth with passionate arguments on either side.
Gov. Rick Perry has made passing House Bill 2 a priority and said he will sign it into law. Democrats in the legislature have said that while there may be little they can do to stop the bill?s passage, they plan to challenge it in federal court.
?We do not have the numbers to stop it,? said Democratic Sen. Royce West of Dallas, according to The Associated Press. ?As soon as it?s signed by the governor, it will be challenged ? we believe the whole bill is unconstitutional.?
Texas is only one of several states looking to tighten rules for abortions.
Eric Gay / AP
Lt. Governor David Dewhurst strikes the gavel as the Senate adjourns on July 11 in Austin, Texas.
North Carolina's House passed a bill Thursday that directs state regulators to change standards for abortion clinics to bring them in line with more regulated outpatient surgical centers.
Missouri's governor Friday let a bill become law without his signature that requires doctors to be in the room for the initial dose of a drug used in medication abortions.
Wisconsin?s governor signed into law last week a measure similar to Texas' that forces abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. That law was blocked by a federal judge.
The biggest fireworks have come in Texas. Last month, GOP lawmakers were prevented from carrying out a vote on House Bill 2 as their first special session came to an end after Davis delivered an 11-hour filibuster that was cut short when state senators ruled she had committed three rules infractions. Raucous protests from Davis supporters in the gallery prevented lawmakers from carrying out a valid vote on the bill.
Security has been tightened in anticipation of the final vote Friday. Dozens of additional state troopers surrounded the gallery and monitored the hallways Friday, according to the AP.
Troopers inspected bags of people streaming into the halls of the capitol. Senate Sergeant-At-Arms Rick DeLeon said no props would be permitted in the gallery, including tampons, perfume bottles, and moisturizers, the AP reported.
Sen. Kirk Watson of Austin, the leader of the legislature?s Democrats, said he stepped in to prevent troopers from confiscating feminine hygiene products from women hoping to view the debate, according to the AP.
Democrats will not be able to prevent the bill from moving forward again by staging a filibuster. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said he will clear the 467-person galley if necessary to get a vote.
?I hope we don?t get to that point but if we do, we do,? Dewhurst said, according to the AP. ?This is a democracy and we will not be interrupted from doing the people?s work by an unruly mob.?
The fight over the bill has drawn national attention from abortion rights advocates disturbed by the spread of new restrictions, as well as anti-abortion activists who say the new law would protect the health of mothers and fetuses.
Former contender for the GOP presidential nomination Rick Santorum appeared in Austin on Thursday, and said that ?Texas is the center of the pro-life debate in the country right now,? according to Reuters.
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This story was originally published on Fri Jul 12, 2013 8:55 AM EDT
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