A Texas lawmaker has introduced a bill that would block anti-abortion laws from going into effect until the state ends its use of capital punishment.
State Rep. Harold Dutton Jr. (D) introduced the measure to counter a slew of abortion restrictions proposed by Republican legislators in the Texas statehouse. Dutton's measure, HB 45, would block any law that restricts access to abortions until 60 days after the state abolishes its death penalty.
Click here to read the text of Dutton's bill.
Dutton also offered a similar amendment to HB 2, the contentious abortion bill famously filibustered by state Sen. Wendy Davis (D) last month.
“Twelve people can put somebody to death in this state,” Dutton said of his amendment, which was eventually tabled. “But now, we want one person to not be able to decide that same issue.”
Texas, which recently executed its 500th inmate since 1976, currently leads the country in use of capital punishment. As MSNBC reported, 261 of those executions took place under Gov. Rick Perry (R), who announced last week that he would not seek reelection in 2014.
Dutton has taken on the death penalty in the past, first filing a measure to end the policy in 2003. He filed a similar bill last year.
(h/t ThinkProgress)
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