Following a second late night rally, crowds once again gathered at the state capitol ahead of a committee hearing on abortion restrictions and bans.
Late Monday night at the capitol the group Rise Up Texas rallied people ahead of today’s committee hearing, urging them to sign up to speak.
House State Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Bryon Cook, R-Coriscana, cut off testimony after 10 hours during the last special session.
"No one's opinion is going to changed by the testimony because once again this is the third go-around. We have been hearing this testimony during the regular session, then the special and now the second special," Cook said.
Things are tense at the state capitol as both sides of the abortion argument line the hallways of the complex's extension building. At times DPS Troopers created human barricades to separate groups of people.
At this point over 1,600 people have signed up to testify either for or against the set of an abortion measures, and each will be given 3 minutes to state their case.
Regardless of how many sign up to speak, Cook said he will not allow testimony to go all night long.
"I remember a wise man once told me nothing good happens good after midnight," Cook said.
There are so many people watching the committee hearing that officials have opened eight overflow rooms. DPS Troopers have been assigned to each one.
There are also over 125 state police equipped with riot gear who are staging in the back area of the capitol cafeteria in case they are needed.
