Live Blog: Texas #HB2 Abortion Law Debate
Posted: July 2, 2013 Filed under: just because, U.S. Politics, Women's Rights | Tags: abortion debate, Rick Perry, Texas HB2, Texas legislature 99 Comments
I thought I’d put up a live blog to discuss the abortion debate in the Texas legislature. Here’s a live feed on Youtube and another one at the Texas Tribune.
Article from The Houston Chronicle: Sights and sounds surrounding HB2 hearing
A marathon hearing on a package of sweeping anti-abortion proposals is proceeding without interruption inside a the state Capitol.
But outside, in a courtyard a couple of feet away from the room where a House panel is hearing testimony on House Bill 2, the scene has been consistently rowdy all day.
That’s where a band of pro-choice activists have set up shop with a microphone (they were also doing prayer groups and handing out twisty balloons). And that’s where a smaller group of pro-life activists have taken to countering that message with constant chanting
Photos and audio clips at the link.
Here’s a live blog at the Burnt Orange site (Stand With Texas Women). On Twitter people are using the hashtags #HB2 and #StandWithTexasWomen.
peej
Carissa
bostonboomer
ecocatwoman
mablue2
Mama Lopez
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
Oh great, not fetuses are compared to slaves. The stupidity grows.
That is so insulting.
Commit to upgrade clinics! that’s too rational.
he wasn’t that rational.
lol
Yep Gawd doesn’t make mistakes, thats why she gave women brains. Oh good make the clinics improve themselves, out their own profits cause they have so much.
yep, private sector must be profitable, even non-profits, to the wingers.
Good, a teary eyed Planned Parenthood Advocate!
What these people don’t understand is that they have the choice not to abort. But they want everyone else to be forced to make the same choice they did. The same way they probably would like to force everyone go to the same church they do.
They seem like childish assholes with no personal responsibility.
Fetuses can’t feel pain at 20 weeks. Liar! And she’s a nurse.
There has been a lot of that. Someone will have to reintroduce the facts.
These people were quoting the fetus masturbation guy earlier.
Geeze.
The vagina isn’t even fully formed at 21 weeks.
I don’t think they are letting in the testifiers. All the ones so far who missed, I have noted, are against the bill.
It’s where they are waiting. Orange people I think are further away on another floor in overflow rooms. Over 3000 people signed up so most won’t testify anyway.
“I am a human being.”
Amen.
The law targets our bodily integrity and our ability to make decisions. Protect the lives that are actually here already.
from Shelby Alexander’s earlier testimony …
There were 4 against people who didn’t testify. WTF?
Ah, “against” witnesses are having a couple of hundred pizzas now which were donated by supporters via the net. that can slow you down.
Hmmm.
Yeah, that’s what I’m wondering. Real reproductive healthcare- we are fighting for this even while Obamacare for large companies won’t have to support it for another year.
“I was lectured and shamed into tears” by a “patient advocate” at a crisis pregnancy center.
This woman is good.
really good
yep.
Sorry, BB, there really are pompous, evil people in the world.
They are using Gosnell, but his clinic wasn’t even legal.
“These clinics” doncha know.
I knew that douchebag years ago and a bigger asshole will be hard to find.
euwww.
How many was that not testifying against the bill? Someone needs to get to them.
Especially Jessica Luther, she’s one of the organizers for Dog’s sake!
https://twitter.com/scATX/status/352249308160077825
Public official mansplains about “lahf” and religion.
He was a horrible person as a young man. I doubt he’s gotten any better.
Are all these people eating pizza? Disappointing.
This guy wants to “protect life from fertilization till death,” except for pregnant women’s lives of course. Claims 20 wk fetuses are “proven to feel pain.” Now how would that be proven?
Fucking liar!
Here’s another intelligent woman. “We should be able to decide for ourselves” what will make our lives happy and healthy. Women of color and poor women will suffer from fewer clinics. “Women’s health care is right, not just for the rich and white.”
They’re not fetuses anymore, they’re children and citizens. Uh Huh.
Oh please. She was forced to have an abortion?
more pure BS
Another forced abortion story. Police reports please.
So these people, who would force others to have an abortion against their wills, would not do it if abortion were illegal?
Another one, who is claiming that she was physically forced into an abortion.
I don’t believe that for one minute.
Professional juggler? “I help women going into abortion clinics realize they have other options.”
IOW, I harass women who are already incredibly stressed out.
Tadpoles? WTF?!
A sidewalk harrasser who gets away with it
Oh I get it, its a catholic form of “works” he’s a gawd seller.
Sidewalk angel program.
Fuck you buddy.
This guy has serious psychological issues.
out the wazoo!
Abortion syndrome relief program? Is that like pray away the gay?
I’m getting an education from this. I don’t hear these things around here.
Yeah, it’s good, if painful, to watch this.
never heard of it either.
Seriously, if there really are that many women out there suffering from post abortion depression, its why isn’t there a scientific study on it. You would think the pro-lifers would jump on it.
they had to invent it, now build it up first.
I think there are studies. Most women are just relieved, unless they’ve had to abort a child because of serious health issues or the fetus has died, etc.
That would be my guess.
tons of tiny feet and arms?
:-:
They are being called they aren’t in the room to speak!
OMG representing the Democrats?
Did I hear her wrong?
some people lie
Where is Nancy Vissette?
I’m starting to foggy from the repetition, but I thought I heard her actually name her rapist. That could be problematic.
cutoff at midnight may not be so bad. 🙂
hahahaha
another male idiot speaks and passes on what has to be pure BS of a story
The 25 dollar abortion. He didn’t call the police-sounds like a conspirator to me.
obviously!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R2G_Ahnmd4
Oh Kat, that’s gooooood!!!!!
Thanks. I don’t need to know your history and neither does anyone else!
Arrrgggh, my critters are probably wondering what the heck happened to dinner.
have the grandkids here………….. will have to catch up tomorrow on Texas and Ohio, and NC. It all pisses me off.
I’m done for the evening. It’s been real. Hasta Manana!
More on post abortion syndrome, from the doctor pastor. i couldn’t have anything to do with having to attend that church, could it?
Thanks, Ralph. Sleep well.
I have to wonder what her 3 adopted kids think of that comment. It was odd.
Finally- a woman who discusses that women can make decisions, and be responsible for them.
thats at least 3 testimonies stating that they were dumped in back of the clinic alone and bleeding after the abortion. Yet clinics require drivers to take you home.
Yay! Actual information on the strictures the bill would create- except she was cut off overtime.
Yay! Dewhurst’s gloat tweet showing how many clinics would close. She was GREAT! WHO WAS THAT WOMAN!
She said that she observed the blue group signing up their children to testify.
When I hear this about the low standard of care, I think Texas needs better doctors. Even so, this Lawyer needs to sit down and shut up.
Now we have a state rep indicating the bill may be unconstitutional HB2 Section 2 because its effect would be to prevent abortion since all clinic doctors would have to affiliate with a hospital, but the hospital association says would that not effectively happen. Hospitals may choose not to have doctors that perform abortions.
Midnight and 900 people wanted to speak.
Wow, thanks for the late updates Roofingbird!
Aw Shucks, BB!
It seemed important.
Sylvester Turner is stating that its wrong to push this bill through without hearing everyone.
I was too tired to type last night, but what I got out of the exchange between the pro bill advocate lawyer and Rep. Turner was that the lawyer, while purporting that the bill was constitutional didn’t care one way or the other, because in the time it would take to rule on the constitutionality of the bill, the clinics would fail. There would be inadequate funding, and most hospitals would not accept doctors performing abortions for affiliation, a requirement of the bill.
OBGYNs already pay through the nose for insurance, and as I understand it, many have had to give up abortion procedures because the insurance companies raise the rates further on this procedure.
Roll call to vote to move the bill to the floor. Turner is upset because he was supposed to be able to add amendments. Chair told him he will have to do it on the floor. Motion passed to main floor.
Just wow. What a bunch of crazy wrong irrational BS is being spewed by the forced-labor rightwingnutters. I’m catching up after a long work day — Thanks to those who live-blogged this. I could barely stand to read the comments without face-palming myself silly or laughing the house down at the brazen stupidity.