'We're Not Gonna Take It': HB 2 Passes Senate Committee

Orange-clad opponents of the controversial abortion regulations House Bill 2 rose from their chairs while singing Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It" as the Senate Health and Human Services Committee this morning voted 6-3 along party lines to pass the measure onto the full body for consideration.

The vote came after lawmakers also shot down two amendments – also on party lines – that would have provided a rape and incest exemption to the bill's 20-week ban on abortion, and another that would have exempt from clinic upgrades to ambulatory surgical centers those facilities that would close and leave women more than 50 miles from the nearest health care provider.

After noting that he would like to be shown voting against the rape and incest exemption (he wasn't in the room when the vote was first taken), Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, said that during the marathon committee hearing on the measures that was held Monday, he heard lots of testimony that amounted to people "making bad choices" and then wanting to "walk away from that choice." He noted that babies born into a bad situation in the "slums" of India may not have many opportunities, but that is not the case with babies born in the United States.

The measure now moves to the full Senate for debate, which could come as early as tomorrow afternoon when the Senate convenes at 2 pm.