Texas Senate Democrats rallied at the capitol and then boarded a big orange "Stand with Texas Women" tour bus to take the abortion fight on the road.
Sen. Kirk Watson of Austin, who is the chair of the Democratic Caucus, had initially requested the entire Senate take committee hearings on the road. When that request was denied, Stand With Texas Women chartered their own.
"Senate Democrats have asked for statewide hearings on this issue, those in control have said, 'We can’t have them.' But the people must be heard, common sense alternatives must be considered and this conversation must be held outside the legislative bubble," Watson said.
Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, said everyone across the state should be able to weigh in on the abortion issue.
"We are getting on our 'Stand With Texas Women' bus and taking a road trip across Texas. And over the next few days we will hear from doctors and Planned Parenthood patients, and women whose lives and communities will be effected by these bills. We’ve spoken out here in Austin and so have thousands of others, but now we are hitting the road in Dallas and Houston and El Paso because Texas women deserve better."
New Democratic political star Sen. Wendy Davis said she and other Democrats would be taking testimony from people across the state that were not able to make to the state capitol to give speak in person.
"This bus now is going to go out and hear more stories of courage from women who could not be at the capitol to share the impact of this legislation and lack of healthcare has on their lives," Davis said. "We stand with Texas women, lets get on the bus and lets keep on standing."
Democrats estimate they will not be gone long enough to miss a vote on the abortion issue and will not attempt to break a quorum by leaving the state.
The group will be making stops in Dallas, Houston and El Paso.
