AUSTIN (CBSDFW.COM) - KRLD Austin Bureau reporter Robert Wood is keeping score on the 82nd Legislature - and hits the highlights in his nightly roundup.

Committee Clears Sonogram Bill

A Texas State Senate committee has approved a bill that would require women get sonograms before an abortion.

While the bill requires a sonogram, it won't require a woman see that sonogram or hear a heartbeat. It does however require a woman hear a description of the sonogram unless…"the question came, what if a woman was a victim of rape or a victim of incest or had a fetal abnormality."

In those cases, Houston Republican State Senator Dan Patrick says the woman wouldn't have to hear the description of the sonogram if she doesn't want to. The full Senate should take up this bill next week and is expected to pass it to the House.

State Prison System Could Be Back Under Federal Control

For many years in the 80's and the early 90's the federal courts controlled the Texas prisons system, and it took a massive building program and billions of dollars to get out from under that control.

Texas Civil Rights Project Attorney Jim Harrington says the state could get into that same kind of trouble again if big cuts are made to prison health care. "They could face constitutional litigation and the intervention of federal courts again."

Harrington says the state might try to increase the number of prisoners let out because of medical reasons, which would also save money. He says doing nothing however is an invitation to court action.

Group Fears More History Endangered

It's not an easy time for some Texas historic sites, and budget cuts won't help.

Preservation Texas every year releases a list of endangered historic sites,  and director Krista Gebbia says that list could get longer if the state suspends the work of the Texas Historic Commission. "Cutting of staff means less time with the staff out there saving historic places."

Gebbia says it will be a real strain and challenge to help save historic places that we could end up losing due to lack of funding or just plain neglect.