UPDATE: Shortly before 2:30 a.m. local time, state Sen. Wendy Davis announced that Senate Bill 5, the anti-abortion legislation that would have severely restricted abortion in Texas, was dead. The crowd reaction was captured here.

After Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst (a Republican) stopped Democratic state Sen. Wendy Davis two hours short of her attempted 13-hour filibuster of a strict anti-abortion bill, pandemonium erupted in the gallery. Angry spectators chanted “Shame on you!” and “Let her speak!” at Texas Republicans as they attempted to take a vote on the abortion legislation before the special session expired at midnight.

It was immediately unclear whether they were successful in passing Senate Bill 5 since the vote took place after 12 a.m. local time. But as the Austin American-Statesmen reported, “The Texas Legislative Service, the online presence of the Legislature, originally listed SB5 as having passed on “6-26-13,” or after midnight. Shortly after 1 a.m., however, the listing was changed to reflect passage before midnight.”

One thing is sure however–the protester in the gallery who yelled “Bullshit!” succinctly summed up what Texas Republicans did Tuesday night.

— Posted by Tracy Bloom.

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#anti-abortion#filibuster#senate bill 5#texas#wendy davis#women's rights