The Texas Senate has passed the strict abortion bill that has sparked debate around the country, especially after a marathon filibuster delayed its eventual passage last month. The session on Friday was much less dramatic, but Democrats still tried to make changes to the bill.
According to the Houston Chronicle, the bill passed 19-11, putting the bill just one step away from officially making Texas one of the toughest states to get an abortion. It passed the Texas House earlier this week and now heads to Gov. Rick Perry’s desk. He has said that he is in favor of the bill.
The last time the bill reached the Senate, it was stopped by Sen. Wendy Davis who went on a 13-hour filibuster to try to stop it. Republicans had claimed that the bill still passed, but because the vote wasn’t officially made until after midnight, they had to schedule another vote.
While she didn’t filibuster the bill this time, she wrote an oped for CNN on Friday, calling the law “draconian.” She noted that only five of the 42 abortion clinics in Texas could remain open under the strict new laws.
The LA Times reports that senators on both sides of the issue made emotional statements during the debate before the vote.
The bill bans abortions 20 weeks after conception, with an exception if the woman’s health is in danger. Abortions also have to be performed in ambulatory surgical centers and doctors who are performing the procedure must have hospital-admitting privileges.