Texas Senator Filibusters Against Abortion Bill

Democratic Texas state senator, Wendy Davis, began her one-woman filibuster to block a GOP-led effort that would effectively close most abortion clinics across the nation’s second-most populous state.

Sen. Wendy Davis of Fort Worth began the filibuster at 11:18 a.m. CDT Tuesday according to Yahoo.News.

In order for Davis to derail a vote in the GOP-dominated Senate, she must keep speaking on the bill until midnight, which is the deadline for the end of the 30-day special session.

The Inquisitr reported earlier today that the Texas abortion law had stalled in the senate this morning.

The proposed bill would ban abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy, require doctors to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and limit abortions to surgical centers.

Yahoo.News reported that in her opening remarks, Davis said she was:

“Rising on the floor today to humbly give voice to thousands of Texans” and called Republican efforts to pass the bill a “raw abuse of power.”

Before Davis began her filibuster attempt, Yahoo.News says that her chair had been removed, and that the rules say that she remain standing, not lean on her desk or take any breaks — even for meals or to use the bathroom.

Democrats have been debating this filibuster after thwarting two attempts Monday by majority Republicans to bring the abortion bill to a floor vote ahead of its scheduled time.

Davis reportedly said that she planned to use up large chunks of times reading into the record testimony from women and doctors who would be impacted by the changes that would come with this new law.

Yahoo.News reported

“If the filibuster succeeds, it could also take down other measures.

“A proposal to fund major transportation projects as well as a bill to have Texas more closely conform with a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision banning mandatory sentences of life in prison without parole for offenders younger than 18 might not get votes.

“Current state law only allows a life sentence without parole for 17-year-olds convicted of capital murder.”

It would seem like Democratic Senator Wendy Davis has a lot riding on this filibuster, and the crowds that packed the Senate will be in for a long evening.

[Image via Shutterstock/corgarashu]