Texans, where’s your Democratic lawmaker?
Here’s a list of the Texas Democrats who left the state in an effort to block GOP voting legislation. Full Story
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![An empty House floor the day after Texas Democrats left the state to break quorum over a Republican-led voting restrictions bill. July 13, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas House Republicans vote to track down absent Democrats and arrest them if necessary
The procedural move carries little apparent weight since the Democrats who fled the state to break quorum are beyond the jurisdiction of Texas law enforcement. Full Story
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![House Republicans crowd around the speakers desk to discuss a point of order attempting to strip absent members of their committee appointments on the House floor on Tuesday, July 13, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Deploy law enforcement? Call another special session? Texas GOP mulls options for elections bill after Democrats leave the state
A number of House Republicans indicated that they would support what’s known as a call of the House, a procedural move that would allow law enforcement to track down lawmakers who have already fled the chamber. Full Story
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![Planes stationed at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on July 12, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
What's in the new voting restriction legislation introduced in the Texas House and Senate
Senate Bill 1 and House Bill 3 will be the starting points for the Legislature's efforts to tighten Texas voting laws. Here's what the bills would do. Full Story
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![Individuals stand on the south steps of the Texas Capitol in support of voting rights at a press conference organized by Black Voters Matter, the Texas Right to Vote Coalition, Texas for All Coalition and other advocacy groups on July 8, 2021.]()
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Texas House attempting to reset on contentious elections bill with new author, new committee in special session
The lower chamber, led by House Speaker Dade Phelan, is trying to start off on a new foot with a controversial election bill that blew up during the regular session. Full Story
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![A voting sign at the South Austin Recreation Center polling site on Oct. 14, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Previewing the special legislative session
In this week's episode, Cassi speaks with Alexa and James about the upcoming special legislative session that starts July 8 in Austin. Full Story
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State Rep. Jessica González defends Democrats' walkout on Texas voting bill
González, of Dallas, and fellow state Rep. Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, discussed Senate Bill 7, which failed to pass during the regular legislative session, and what's next for legislators. Full Story
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State Rep. John Turner says he won't seek reelection to Texas House
Turner has represented House District 114 since 2019 after he flipped the previously GOP-held seat during the 2018 elections. Full Story
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![John Turner was first elected to represent House District 114 in 2018. Turner and volunteers at his campaign office in Dallas on Sept. 22, 2018]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: A majority of Texas voters isn’t enough to sway a Republican state government
The Texas Legislature has a Republican majority, and knowing what most voters want isn't the best way to predict what lawmakers will do. You have to know what Republican voters want. Full Story
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Texas House Democrats and legislative staffers take Gov. Greg Abbott to court for defunding Legislature
The governor had vowed to veto the Legislature’s funding in the final hours of the regular legislative session in May after House Democrats broke quorum and left the chamber to prevent passage of a controversial elections bill. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott signs Senate Bill 2 and Senate Bill 3 at the Texas Capitol on June 8, 2021. The omnibus power grid bills will change the state’s power grid and the people who oversee it.]()
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Beto O’Rourke tours Texas again to rally Congress to take action on voting rights legislation
O'Rourke has visited at least 19 cities this month and plans to hold a final rally Sunday at the Texas Capitol in Austin. Full Story
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![Reagan Van Coutren takes a selfie with former congressman Beto O'Rourke at Stevenson Park in Abilene on June 5, 2021.]()
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Gov. Greg Abbott wants lawmakers to target critical race theory in a special session, but is so far mum on details
The governor said Wednesday he would add the issue to the agenda for an anticipated special session. Full Story
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![Fifth graders at Jacob’s Well Elementary School in Wimberley lineup at the door as they prepare to walk back to their classroom from the science lab on Sept. 4, 2020.]()
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Analysis: The 2021 Texas House, from left to right
Based on the votes they cast during the just-concluded regular session, the author ranks the members of the Texas House from most conservative to most liberal. Full Story
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![State lawmakers honor Capitol staff on the last day of session on May 31, 2021.]()
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State Rep. James White, an East Texas Republican, won't seek another term in Texas House
White, chairman of the House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee, has served in the lower chamber since 2011. Full Story
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![Rep. James White, R-Hillster, testifies regarding HB 1708, legislation he proposed relating to an electronic voting system that produces a voter-verifiable paper record, on Thursday, April 8, 2021.]()
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Kamala Harris to host White House meeting with Texas Democrats who blocked voting bill
The meeting will take place Wednesday, according to Harris' office. Full Story
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![State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, speaks at a press conference at Mt. Zion Baptist Church near the state Capitol in Austin after Democrats broke quorum in opposition to Senate Bill 7, a sweeping GOP voting bill. May 30, 2021.]()
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After 2020 disappointments, Democrats look to prioritize year-round organizing
Two former congressional candidates, Julie Oliver and Mike Siegel, are hoping to help Democrats learn the lessons of 2020 with a new group called Ground Game Texas. Full Story
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![The Travis County Democratic Party office in Austin.]()
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TribCast: Democrats defeat the Texas voting bill — for now
On this week's episode, Matthew speaks with James, Patrick and Alexa about the wild end to the legislative session and the future of proposed voting restrictions in Texas. Full Story
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![State Rep. Jessica González, D-Dallas, speaks at a press conference at Mt. Zion Baptist Church near the state Capitol in Austin after Democrats broke quorum in opposition to Senate Bill 7, a sweeping GOP voting bill. May 30, 2021.]()
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The Texas Legislature’s sole Black freshman had big plans for her first session. She ended up mostly playing defense.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett pushed bills to reform policing, expand voting options and loosen drug laws in the state. But she made waves for her passionate dissent. Full Story
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For Democrats of color, walkout on Texas voting bill was rooted in the long fight for equal voting rights
All they could get was a temporary win. But the lawmakers said taking the extraordinary measure of breaking quorum in the Texas House was justified by the harm they felt their mostly Black and Hispanic constituents would face under the GOP’s voting bill. Full Story
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![State Rep. Trey Martinez-Fischer addresses the media during a press conference at Mt. Zion Baptist Church. The group of Democratic lawmakers walked off the House floor and broke quorum over Senate Bill 7.]()
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Republicans say they’ll tweak part of Texas elections bill criticized for impact on Black churchgoers
The provision deals with the window for early voting on Sundays, and the current version of the bill raised concerns that it would hinder get-out-the-vote efforts by Black churches. Full Story
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![State Rep. Travis Clardy, R-Nacogdoches, on the House floor on May 7, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
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