Beto O’Rourke vows to repeal Texas abortion ban if elected governor
The Democratic nominee faces an uphill battle in his challenge to Gov. Greg Abbott, and the Legislature is likely to remain under Republican control. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/50747018570e9d2b7031b85da2258022/Beto%20Abortion%20Rally%20TT%20JV%205.jpg)
The latest texas legislature news from The Texas Tribune.
The Democratic nominee faces an uphill battle in his challenge to Gov. Greg Abbott, and the Legislature is likely to remain under Republican control. Full Story
A special Texas Senate committee is meeting at 9 a.m. Central on Tuesday in response to the Uvalde school shooting that left 19 children and two teachers dead. Full Story
The senators said they would support proposals like raising the age to legally own an assault weapon from 18 to 21, creating red flag laws and regulating private gun sales. Full Story
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick had asked House leaders to support his push for arming school police officers with bulletproof shields after the Uvalde shooting. House Speaker Dade Phelan is also asking for more money for mental health and school safety programs. Full Story
In arguing over causes of the latest mass shooting, political debate often overlooks the range of incremental steps that could lessen the chances of mass killing and help address the nation’s persistent gun violence. Full Story
The 2021 law prohibits social media companies from banning users based on their viewpoints. It will not go into effect while a lawsuit makes its way through the courts. Full Story
The “God-given right” to self-defense has become a rallying cry in Texas politics, further cementing gun ownership as a holy cause and political identity. The state’s Republican leadership has spent decades carrying the banner. Full Story
Abbott’s press conference follows a morning briefing from top law enforcement who admitted local police made a crucial error as the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde continued. Full Story
After the Uvalde mass shooting, GOP leaders are again pushing to boost school security. But similar legislation after a 2018 school shooting has fallen short of its goals, and experts said there’s no evidence such tactics work. Full Story
Gov. Greg Abbott and other Republican leaders signaled an openness to some gun restrictions after recent mass shootings. But in the last several years, lawmakers have eased gun laws, most notably by passing a permitless carry bill last year. Full Story
Women’s health care providers are holding back when counseling pregnant patients about treatment options, doctors report pharmacists are hesitant to distribute some prescriptions, and OB-GYN training is diminishing for Texas medical school students. Full Story
Democratic primary runoffs for two congressional districts and two legislative seats in South Texas highlight the candidates’ divergent visions for the party in a region the GOP is heavily targeting. Full Story
State leaders say expanding a social safety net for children and prosecuting abortion funders are among their priorities. “We’ll continue to do our best to make abortion not just outlawed, but unthinkable,” said state Rep. Briscoe Cain. Full Story
Pregnant Texans have found ways to access abortion despite the restrictions, while clinics have pivoted their operations to focus on out-of-state care. Full Story
A group of young women have teamed up with a prestigious Houston law firm to get the state to stop charging sales tax on menstrual products, arguing they qualify as “wound care dressings.” Full Story
The Democratic National Committee has decided to allow new states to bid for the coveted status, which has long belonged to places like Iowa and New Hampshire, in an effort to kick off the nominating process in states that better reflect the diversity of the broader electorate. Full Story
Texans who don’t vote in primaries and primary runoffs are missing a chance to choose who goes to Congress and the Texas Legislature. Thanks to the political maps drawn by lawmakers last year, only a handful of those contests will be competitive in November. Full Story
Republican and Democratic state legislators joined Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith in a panel at the University of Texas at San Antonio on Wednesday. Full Story
See the full list of candidates in the Democratic and Republican primary runoffs, and find out who’s on your ballot based on where you live. Full Story
Figures released by the Texas secretary of state show that more than 24,000 Texas voters had their ballots rejected in the March primary. The rejection rate is a significant increase over previous elections. Full Story