Texas

Texas state rep. introduces new bill to combat freshly signed abortion law

Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed into law on Thursday a controversial bill that will ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy and impose new restrictions on abortion clinics in the Lone Star State.

The bill drew hundreds and even thousands to the Texas state capital in recent weeks as opponents tried to stop the state’s conservatives from passing a measure that protesters said would harm the state’s women.

Host Jamila Bey spoke with Texas State Rep. Harold Dutton, author of HB 45, which stipulates that the abortion law would not go into effect until 60 days after Texas stops executing people, to discuss the law and his new bill.

 

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Texas to have special session after successful filibuster of abortion bill

Texas Gov. Rick Perry is calling for a second special session of the legislature to try to pass restrictive abortion regulations after the successful filibuster of Democratic state Sen. Wendy Davis.

Davis filibustered for more than 10 hours on Tuesday night to delay the senate vote on the SB 5 Pro-Life Omnibus Bill, which would have banned abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy and shuttered most of the state’s abortion clinics due to more stringent requirements.

While the events in Texas were watched around the world, other states watched in hopes of learning how to successfully pass similar laws.

Host Jamila Bey spoke with Jodi Jacobson, editor-in-chief of RH Reality Check, and Austin-based journalist Jessica Luther to talk about Texas and the potential encroachments that would restrict care to all American women.

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Stories from the press focused on many aspects of her filibuster, including what was to some a distressing focus on her “pink tennis shoes.”

Bey also spoke with freelance journalist Tracie Powell and Rachel Larris of the Women’s Media Center to talk about the coverage of the story and how mainstream media was flat-footed in running down the details of the evening.

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