GOP lawmakers in Texas take another swing at stricter abortion limits

Days after a Democrat-led filibuster helped kill new abortion restrictions, Republican Gov. Rick Perry and GOP lawmakers plan to take another swing at the politically charged issue when they return to Austin on Monday for a second special legislative session.

Republicans have vowed to use the new 30-day session to double down on their efforts to impose new limits on abortions.

“The world has seen images of pro-abortion activists screaming, cheering,” Mr. Perry said. “Going forward, we have to match their intensity but do it with grace and civility.”

The Texas Legislature’s regular session ended in May, but Mr. Perry called lawmakers back to the Statehouse for another session to have them tackle various issues, including the sweeping abortion bill that stalled last week.
Democratic state Sen. Wendy Davis of Fort Worth played a major role in torpedoing those efforts by holding the floor for nearly 12 hours.

Republicans were able to use parliamentary maneuvers to bring the debate to a close, but pro-choice activists stormed the Capitol, helping to block the bill temporarily.

The story won national headlines and made Ms. Davis a star within the eyes of the pro-choice movement.

State GOP lawmakers, though, are predicting a different outcome when they return this week to the Capitol, where they plan to push a proposal to ban abortion after 20 weeks and set other restrictions that opponents warn would close most clinics that provide abortions in Texas.

Ms. Davis suggested Sunday during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the pro-choice lawmakers could be outnumberd, but she said they will not concede that the battle is over — even if the bill passes.

“What we saw in the Capitol last week, really, was people who have grown weary of our politicians trying to boost their own political careers on the backs of women by bulling them and others, honestly, in order to promote agendas that help them personally,” she said. “These are matters of personal liberty. In Texas we hold very dear to intrusions against our personal liberty. We fight very hard against that, and we will fight as we begin the session again on Monday.”