Republicans of the nation’s conservative-dominated, second-most populous state have been working since Sunday to shut down abortion clinics in a special session that ran through Sunday night and will continue until 11:59 P.M.
Tuesday, legislators debated a law banning abortions after the 20th week, mandating the presence of doctors at non-surgical abortions, and limiting all abortions to surgical centers, among other stipulations.
Democrats are expected to attempt to filibuster the proposal, with the support of over 800 demonstrators present at the capitol. However, they will have to stall voting for approximately 13 more hours on Tuesday, in addition to the 15 hours they managed before preliminary voting—and approval—this morning, writes USA Today. Under the rules, a filibuster must consist of a single senator speaking nonstop, standing, without breaks until the time for the special session expires.
Under the new law, 37 of the 42 abortion clinics which serve the state’s population of 26 million would be shut down, AP.com reports. Women taking an abortion-inducing pill, ordinarily done at home, very early in the pregnancy, would have to make an appointment to take the pill in front of a doctor. While Republicans claim this would make abortions safer, President of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Cecil Richards says “If this passes, abortion would be virtually banned in the state of Texas, and many women could be forced to resort to dangerous and unsafe measures.”
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