Texas lawmakers returned for round two in a fierce battle over abortion rights on Monday after a one-woman filibuster and a raucous crowd stopped state Republicans from passing restrictive abortion legislation last week.
The Legislature's Republican majority vowed to pass wide-ranging abortion restrictions quickly and easily at the second special session at the Texas state capitol, reports CNN.
In addition to banning abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy, the proposal would require doctors to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and limit abortions to surgical centers. In turn, opponents warn it would shut down 37 out of 42 abortion clinics in the state and leave many women without access. On the other hand, supporters say the bill would improve women's health care.
Last week, the debate over abortion created what was arguably the most chaotic day in modern history for the Texas Legislature, starting with state Sen. Wendy Davis' (D-Fort Worth) 11-hour filibuster, and ending with a down-to-the wire, quite possibly illegal attempt by Senate Republicans to muscle in a late vote after midnight in order to pass the highly polarizing law.
On Monday, hundreds of abortion-rights groups gathered on the Capitol's front steps hours before a rally was scheduled to begin, while more than 100 state riot police officers controlled the crowd of thousands, reports the Huffington Post.
Opponents of the restrictive anti-abortion law wore orange T-shirts and prepared for a rally with national women's rights leaders, while supporters wore blue and recited the Lord's Prayer outside the Senate.
Republican Gov. Rick Perry said he expects lawmakers to get their work done more quickly this time, making it harder for a filibuster to talk any proposed legislation to death.
"I want the Legislature to be getting work done that actually that they had, by and large, finished," he said.
Watch the session via live stream below:
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