Gov. Perry Recovering From Minor Surgery
Texas Governor Rick Perry is recovering from minor back surgery. A spokesman for Gov. Perry says the procedure included a small nerve decompression. The Governor’s Chief of Staff Ray Sullivan told KERA's Shelley Kofler that Perry spent two nights in the hospital.
“I talked to what we call the First Nurse today, the First Lady Mrs. Perry, who said the Governor is doing well. He’s getting some rest and the recovery is going very well,” Sullivan said.
Perry’s surgery comes as he weighs a run for president – and as political watchers wait for a possible announcement.
SOCO Getting Reverse Angle Parking Spots
City of Austin crews have been working on adding back-in angle parking along South Congress. The city says back-in angle parking is safer because it allows more visibility when you're exiting a parking space onto a busy street. The city has already added this type of parking along Dean Keeton and West Sixth Street.
Judge Considering Injunction Against Sonogram Abortion Law
A federal judge in Austin is scheduled to hear arguments today on whether to stop Texas from enforcing its new law requiring women to get a sonogram before an abortion. That's according to theAssociated Press.
The law, which takes effect September 1, says doctors must describe the fetus to the woman. The Center for Reproductive Rights filed the lawsuit. The group wants an injunction until the case is resolved.
The center argues that the law forces doctors to say things against their will and violates medical ethics. Such ethics say a physician may not act upon the patient without her consent, the physician must respect the patient's autonomy, and the physician must act in the patient's best interest. The law "damages the relationship of trust between physician and patient, and with compelled and unwanted speech imposes stress and emotional strain on women as they prepare to undergo a medical procedure," the center argues in its lawsuit. Supporters say the law is necessary to make sure women fully understand what an abortion entails. They cite cases where women later regretted having an abortion, and they insist the law will lead more women to decide against having one.