Gov. Rick Perry has fast-tracked legislation that requires physicians to show women a sonogram before they have an abortion.

Perry this weekend added the issue to his list of emergency items, giving lawmakers the ability to consider such bills in the first 30 days of the session.

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The list of emergency item this session has now grown to five. Other emergency items that Perry has set include establishing tougher eminent domain laws, abolishing sanctuary cities for undocumented immigrants, requiring voters to present a photo identification at the polls and calling for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would require the federal government to have a balanced budget.

The state faces a budget shortfall of between $15 and $27 billion. Critics have questioned the governor's selection of such emergency items at a time when public education, higher education and health care are facing deep cuts.