With Texas House cleared, omnibus pro-life bill needs Senate passage

AUSTIN—On Monday in a 95-34 vote, the Texas House approved Senate Bill 5, a pro-life omnibus bill restricting abortions after 20 weeks of conception and requiring increased medical standards of abortion providers.

The bill was considered for a final vote in the House mid-morning on Monday after Democrats were able to delay a reconvening of proceedings by more than two hours. Hours earlier, at around 3:30 a.m., it passed a preliminary vote, 97-33, after many hours of debate and tactical delays by opponents.

But the legislation must pass a Senate concurrence vote by midnight on Tuesday before going to Gov. Rick Perry, who has said he would sign it.

The omnibus bill would place substantial restrictions on abortions past 20 weeks of conception and requires: abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at a hospital within a 30-mile radius of the clinic; abortion clinics to meet standards similar to outpatient centers; and greater physician oversight in the dissemination of the abortion medication RU-486.

An update to this story will follow later.