Nearly 2,000 people have signed up to speak for or against House Bill 2 -- which would add new abortion restrictions in Texas.
The first witness did not get the microphone until more than an hour of Tuesday's committee meeting had passed. Panel members spoke first to question the bill's author, Parker's Jodie Laubenberg, a North Texas Republican.
State Affairs committee chair Byron Cook of Corsicana urged lawmakers to cut their comments short and allow the speakers who get three minutes each, unless it's a "resource" witness.
Ellen Cooper with the Texas Department of State Health Services was up first to answer more questions from lawmakers.
Cook says he'll cut off testimony at a minute past midnight, no matter how many people on the list are still waiting to speak. Here's the Texas Tribune's live feed of the committee meeting:
http://www.youtube.com/user/thetexastribune?v=hXNjiPdcPJA