AUSTIN - Delaying tactics by House Democrats stalled legislation Sunday to ban abortion at 20 weeks and impose tighter regulations on the procedure, threatening its passage as the end of the special legislative session looms.
"We may not be in the majority, but unity trumps division any day," said Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, who raised an objection that delayed consideration of a measure concerning youthful capital offenders that preceded the abortion bill on the House agenda.
While his objection wasn't raised specifically about the abortion measure backed by GOP leaders, the delay pushed back consideration of that measure and a transportation proposal behind the crime measure on the House agenda.
"This late in the session, obviously every minute counts," said Rep. Bryan Hughes, a Mineola Republican who strongly backs the tighter abortion regulations, referring to Tuesday's end of the 30-day session.
The Senate earlier approved stricter abortion regulations but abandoned the 20-week ban. If the House approves the legislation with the ban, or makes any other changes, it must return to the Senate for consideration.
If that happens too near the end of the session, it would open an opportunity for one of the Democratic senators who opposes the abortion measure to try to kill the legislation through a filibuster, or talking until the session ends.
Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, said Democrats in the House and Senate were united in their opposition to the measure (at least one exception is Sen. Eddie Lucio, D- Brownsville, who voted for it) and would do "whatever it takes" to kill it.
"It's endangering women at the expense of political posturing," Davis said.
Hughes said he thinks there was still time for the Legislature to pass the legislation and send it to Gov. Rick Perry, who called the special session in the first place and controls its agenda.
"It's important to a lot of people back home," Hughes said.
Perry could call a second special session if the measure fails and he wants lawmakers to have a another chance at it.
Lawmakers worked under the watchful eye of advocates on both sides of the abortion issue, who lined the second-floor lobby outside the House chamber.
Abortion-rights advocates were most evident, flooding the Capitol, standing on the stairs outside the chamber and largely filling the House gallery, many wearing burnt-orange T-shirts saying, "Stand with Texas Women."
Abortion opponents also made their presence known but were evident in smaller numbers. Some wore red tape with the word "life" over their mouths, to signify they were representing "babies who can't speak for themselves," said Kyleen Wright of Texans for Life.
The Texas Senate days ago approved Senate Bill 5 to tighten abortion regulations after abandoning the proposed 20-week ban, which is championed by anti-abortion advocates based on the idea that a fetus can feel pain at that point, which is disputed.
The bill as approved by the Senate would require abortion clinics to meet the standards of ambulatory surgical centers, which abortion-rights advocates say would force most to close.
The measure also would require doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles, and it would impose tougher requirements on the administration of medication intended to induce abortions.
Advocates of the measure insisted that it was meant to protect women, but Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in a tweet suggested that its aim was to essentially ban abortion and cause clinics to close.
Before the legislation came to the House floor, the House State Affairs Committee added the 20-week ban.
Darlene Clements Murnin, 91, of San Antonio, who described herself as "crazily pro-choice," said she came to the Capitol Sunday because 'the things that are happening to women more and more distress me so."
"If we could implant a uterus in maybe 100 of these men, and keep them pregnant for a year, things would change," she said. "Pregnancy is not an easy thing."
Christine Courteau Butler, 25, of Santa Fe in the Houston area, said she was part of a group of four who came to stand against the measure.
"We just feel like standing up for women's rights is one of the most important things we can do," she said.
Before the debate began, Wright said she was encouraged by the support the abortion legislation had received from lawmakers and leadership. But she added, "We're very well aware we're working against the clock."
Staff writer Daivid Rauf contributed to this report.
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