Texas governor calls 2nd session on abortion issue

Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas

Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday called a second special session of the Texas Legislature to pass widespread abortion restrictions across the nation’s second-largest state, after the first attempt by Republicans died overnight after a marathon one-woman filibuster.

Perry ordered lawmakers to meet again on July 1 to act on the abortion proposals, as well as separate bills that would boost highway funding and deal with a juvenile justice issue. The sweeping abortion rules would close nearly all the state’s abortion clinics and impose other widespread restrictions.

Perry can call as many 30-day extra sessions as he likes, but lawmakers can only take up those issues he assigns.

The debate over abortion restrictions led to the most chaotic day in the Texas Legislature in modern history, starting with a marathon filibuster and ending with a down-to-the wire vote marked by questions about whether Republicans tried to break chamber rules and jam the measure through.

Democrats put their hopes of thwarting the bill in the hands of Wendy Davis, a state senator, for a daylong attempt to talk the bill to death. Over the duration of the speech, Davis became a social media star, even becoming the subject of a tweet from President Obama for her efforts.

But just before midnight, Republicans claimed she strayed off topic.