Excerpt
GWEN IFILL (Newshour): .....how a local battle in Texas over abortion legislation erupted into a national debate.
Chaos erupted in the Texas State Senate last night, as abortion-rights backers thundered their opposition to tough new restrictions. In the midst of the din, majority Republicans insisted the bill, which would have banned abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, had passed. But official records showed that didn't happen until after a midnight deadline had come and gone.
Just after 3:00 a.m., Lieutenant Gov. David Dewhurst, who presided over the session, conceded defeat.
LT. GOV. DAVID DEWHURST, R-Texas: Regrettably, the constitutional time for the first called session of the 83rd legislature has expired. Senate Bill 5 cannot be signed in the presence of the Senate at this time and therefore cannot be enrolled.
GWEN IFILL: The bill would have required clinics to upgrade to surgical-level centers, an expense that would have caused most existing facilities to close.
Had it passed, Texas would have joined Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, North Dakota, and Virginia, all states that recently adopted stringent new anti-abortion laws. The campaign to derail the measure was the brainchild of Fort Worth Democrat Wendy Davis, who declared her intent to talk the bill to death.
MAN: Is it still your intention to filibuster?
STATE SEN. WENDY DAVIS, D-Texas: Yes, Mr. President
GWEN IFILL: Sporting pink tennis shoes, Davis began speaking at 11:15 in the morning.
WENDY DAVIS: Members, I'm rising on the floor today to humbly give a voice to thousands of Texans who have been ignored. These are Texans who relied on the minority members of this Senate in order for their voices to be heard.
GWEN IFILL: News of the filibuster quickly grabbed national attention on social media and a catchy hashtag. Late in the day, President Obama tweeted: "Something special is happening in Austin tonight. Stand with Wendy."
Davis continued speaking for nearly 11 hours and had intended to go until midnight.
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