Long lines formed again next to the border wall in El Paso — a scene repeated in other parts of the southern border — as migrants anticipated the end of a policy that has allowed immigration agents to quickly expel them.
May 2023
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Texas Legislature 2023
Bill striking unconstitutional state law that criminalized homosexuality fails to meet critical deadline in the Texas House
In a landmark decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Texas’ law banning sodomy in 2003. It took almost 20 years for Democrats to get a bill to repeal the defunct ban on the House calendar.
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Politics
U.S. House passes border bill shaped by Texas Republicans as Title 42 ends
The Secure the Border Act would resume construction of the border wall, limit asylum eligibility and require asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico. It faces tough going in the Senate.
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Texas Legislature 2023
In dramatic vote, Texas House approves online sports betting measure
A resolution to let voters decide whether to legalize casino gambling, however, was delayed for a day while supporters worked to find enough support for passage.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Texas House passes ban on devices that modify handguns, but averts vote on increasing age to buy semi-automatic rifles
A Texas lawmaker introduced an amendment that would have revived a proposal to raise the minimum age to buy certain semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21 before it was ultimately withdrawn.
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State Government
Texas sends more buses with migrants to Washington, D.C., the day before Title 42 is set to end at the border
As the Biden administration prepares to end the Trump policy that quickly expels migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border, Gov. Greg Abbott orders two more buses to take migrants to Vice President Kamala Harris’ residence.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Abortion bills gain little traction as Texas Legislature turns its attention to LGBTQ restrictions
Texas’ abortion laws look likely to remain about where they were at the beginning of the legislative session, as key deadlines pass without any movement on abortion-related bills.
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Politics
Clash of styles as Colin Allred prepares to challenge Ted Cruz in 2024 race
The Dallas native, former NFL linebacker and civil rights lawyer has not traveled a typical path to Congress.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Texas House’s version of the Senate’s voucher bill would change eligibility to the program and replace the STAAR test
The Texas House’s education committee is soon expected to discuss the new version of Senate Bill 8, which was heavily modified to sway votes in the lower chamber.
Posted in
Economy
Texas House passes sweeping border funding bill, guts proposed policing unit
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle threw their support behind a new requirement that the unit use only commissioned peace officers for enforcement actions.