Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) on Wednesday called for a special legislative session to address an abortion bill, the funding of transportation infrastructure projects and legislation to establish a mandatory sentence of life with parole for a capital felony committed by a 17-year-old.
The announcement follows State Sen. Wendy Davis’s (D) more than ten hour marathon filibuster to block a measure that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy from passing before the legislative session officially ended at midnight Wednesday.
Although the Republican supermajority was able to stop her filibuster before the deadline, they were not able to conclude the actual voting before the clock struck twelve as thousands of jeering protesters drowned out legislative proceedings.
“I am calling the Legislature back into session because too much important work remains undone for the people of Texas,” Perry said in a statement. “Through their duly elected representatives, the citizens of our state have made crystal clear their priorities for our great state. Texans value life and want to protect women and the unborn. Texans want a transportation system that keeps them moving. Texans want a court system that is fair and just. We will not allow the breakdown of decorum and decency to prevent us from doing what the people of this state hired us to do.”
The special session will start Monday, July 1. Watch Tuesday night’s pandemonium here.
Update: Gov. Perry sent out the following tweet Wednesday evening:
Unfinished business for #txlege. Let’s protect women & the unborn, fund roads, fix juvenile sentencing . See y’all back at work July 1.
— Rick Perry (@GovernorPerry) June 26, 2013
