Perry orders new session on abortion

AUSTIN — After a onewoman filibuster and a raucous crowd helped derail a GOP-led effort to restrict Texas abortions, Gov. Rick Perry announced Wednesday that he’s calling lawmakers back next week to try again.

Perry ordered the Legislature to meet July 1 to begin 30 more days of work. Like the first special session, which ended in chaos overnight Tuesday, the second one will include on its agenda a Republicanbacked plan that critics say would close nearly ev- ery abortion clinic across the state and impose other widespread limits on the procedure.

“Texans value life and want to protect women and the unborn,” Perry said.

The first session’s debate over abortion restrictions led to the most chaotic day in the Texas Legislature in modern history, starting with a marathon filibuster and ending with a down-to-the wire, frenetic vote marked by questions about whether Republicans tried to break chamber rules and jam the measure through.