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Texas Lawmakers Advance Abortion Bills with Little Debate

Abortion is again seizing the spotlight at the Texas Capitol -- but largely only in small doses and mostly without the heated debate and emotion of last session.

The House voted with minimal discussion Wednesday to mandate that abortion clinic personnel undergo training to prevent human trafficking. That's in case any of their patients got pregnant after being forced into the sex trade.

That came as the Senate passed a prohibition on covering abortions under insurance plans purchased through the federal marketplace. More than two dozen states already have similar bans.

There are fewer sweeping moves to make on the issue after state lawmakers imposed some of the toughest abortion restrictions in the country last year -- despite a nearly 13-hour filibuster by Democrat Wendy Davis that made national headlines.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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