Hundreds Of Texans Stand Up Against Sweeping Anti-Abortion Bill, Block It From Coming To A Vote

[SecularMotion]

Texas lawmakers are currently rushing an omnibus anti-abortion bill through a special session, after each of its provisions failed to advance separately during the regular legislative session. But not without being met with a fight. Over 700 Texans traveled to Austin on Thursday to testify against the anti-abortion measure before it could come to a vote in the House — and their “people’s filibuster” successfully prevented the legislation from advancing.

SB 5 combines several attacks on reproductive access into one measure, and would ultimately force over over 40 abortion clinics across the Lone Star state to close their doors. After the Texas Senate passed SB 5 on Tuesday, a House committee took it up for consideration. Anti-abortion opponents were reportedly discouraged from testifying in favor of the measure before the House vote, in case the legislature runs out of time to approve it before the special session concludes on June 25.

But opponents of SB 5 took the opposite approach, organizing hundreds of women’s health advocates to share their testimony in front of the House committee in the hopes of delaying the vote. An estimated 700 people registered to testify. Some protesters waited up to 12 hours to speak against SB 5, and supporters from across Texas ordered pizza, cookies, and drinks to be delivered to them throughout the night on Thursday.

In the early hours of the morning on Friday, after nearly seven hours of testimony, the Republican chairman of the House committee told more than 300 people who were still waiting in line that they would not be allowed to speak.

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/06/21/2193501/hundreds-of-texans-block-anti-abortion-vote/?mobile=nc

[DURHAM D]

1. Maddow did a great segment on this story last night. nt

[broiles]

2. Planned Parenthood patched me thru to my state rep.

So I could voice my displeasure with this bill. I think that is an effective strategy for fighting some of this crap.

[BrotherIvan]

3. Whatever it takes

Well done!

[hobbit709]

4. Unfortunately, it didn't block anything.

The bastards brought it up the next day, allowed no outside discussion, and passed the bills.

[gtar100]

5. The antithesis of democracy. What a shameful display.

But hardly out of character for republicans.

I suppose they're going to ignore what they just did the next time they talk about "small government".

[Melissa G]

6. Come join us on Sunday

We could use your company.
From a letter:
An Urgent Message from NARAL Pro-Choice Texas

Dear Melissa,

We need as many people as possible to come to the Capitol on Sunday, June 23, starting at 1 p.m. to protest the passage of bills that would strip Texans of their reproductive rights. Doors to the House Gallery will open at 1 p.m., the House convenes at 2 p.m., and debate on anti-choice bills is expected to begin in the afternoon. It may not begin until the late afternoon, but it could be sooner, so we need you to be there, filling up all the seats!

From Thursday afternoon into the wee hours Friday morning, hundreds of pro-choice Texans from around the state descended upon the Texas Capitol to testify against HB 60 and HB 16 in the House State Affairs Committee. Testimony lasted nearly 10 hours, but when the chair cut us off at 3:40 a.m., hundreds of people still had not had their chance to speak.

We deserve to be heard. These bills would close all but five abortion clinics in the state of Texas and ban abortion after 20 weeks, with no exception for sexual assault. These bills will have a devastating effect on reproductive health-care access in Texas, and the majority of Texans do not support this level of restriction.

We need to show up in large numbers to show the lawmakers that we're watching them and that the majority of Texans are against these restrictions. Please note that this is the floor debate, not an opportunity to testify. While we may not be allowed to make noise inside the House gallery, hundreds of supporters in bright orange shirts will still send the message. If you don't have an orange shirt yet, there will be shirts there for you!

Join us on Sunday, June 23. Wear orange. Come when you can. Stay ‘till the end. We saw an historic and unprecedented gathering on Thursday and Friday, and we can bring out a large crowd again!

What is happening is history in the making. See you Sunday!

Heather Busby
Executive Director, NARAL Pro-Choice Texas