Texas House Schedules Abortion Bill Vote
Texas Republicans on Monday pushed on with aggressive efforts to pass tough new abortion restrictions they were prevented from passing last month, scheduling a House vote and beginning what promised to be a marathon public hearing about the legislation.
Activists for and against the proposed restrictions descended on the Capitol for the hearing. Anti-abortion demonstrators planned to stage a Capitol rally later Monday, and abortion rights activists planned to march through downtown Austin around the rally’s scheduled start time.
Gov. Rick Perry, who was in San Antonio to announce he wouldn’t seek re-election in 2014, has pledged the Legislature’s Republican majority will pass the new restrictions in the current 30-day special session. The House Calendars Committee met early Monday to schedule a Tuesday debate and vote on the measure.