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June 26, 2013

Texas Anti-Abortion Bill Fails After Marathon Filibuster, Protest 
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In Texas, Democratic lawmakers and pro-choice demonstrators have blocked
a bill that would have shuttered nearly all the state's abortion
clinics. Senate Bill 5 calls for banning abortion at 20 weeks and
imposing harsh regulations that would force all but five Texas clinics
to close down. On Tuesday morning, State Senator Wendy Davis rose to her
feet to launch a filibuster that lasted nearly 11 hours before
Republican senators managed to cut her off. As the midnight deadline for
the special session drew near, hundreds of protesters in the gallery
erupted into cheers that drowned out the proceedings, but Republican
lawmakers attempted to claim they had passed the bill anyway. Hours
later, Lieutenant Gov. David Dewhurst conceded the vote had not followed
legislative procedures, blaming what he called "unruly mob using Occupy
Wall Street tactics." Despite the overnight victory, Texas Gov. Rick
Perry could still call a second special session and tell lawmakers to
re-consider Senate Bill 5.

 

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