The bill already passed the Senate but will require another vote in the upper chamber due to minor changes made in the House.
Texas Legislature 2019
The 86th Legislature runs from Jan. 8 to May 27. From the state budget to health care to education policy — and the politics behind it all — we focus on what Texans need to know about the biennial legislative session.
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Texas Legislature 2019
“I’m honestly still stunned that I work here”: Meet the staffers who keep Texas lawmakers in check under the dome
Behind the 181 members of the Texas Legislature, thousands of people work to keep the Capitol humming during legislative sessions. The work isn’t always glamorous, but many view their small roles in helping state government function as an honor.
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Texas Legislature 2019
“People were giving us lip service”: Texas cities’ legislative efforts have struggled this year
When weighing in on issues like property taxes, the main interest group representing cities has encountered skepticism.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas Senate revives, fast-tracks religious liberty bill that LGBTQ Caucus killed in the House
The measure, which had yet to advance in the Senate, was swiftly voted out of a surprise committee hearing Monday, days after companion legislation in the House died on the floor.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Gymnasts who survived abuse by Larry Nassar urge Texas lawmakers not to water down reform
A bill aims to lengthen the amount of time people can sue someone who sexually abused them when they were children. But the House stripped language extending the limit for certain entities that may be culpable.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas lawmakers see a more engaged Gov. Greg Abbott. Will it pay off?
Once knocked as detached, the governor has become more involved in a legislative session hinging on two big-ticket items he’s prioritized: school finance and property tax reform.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Analysis: The Texas Legislature’s unexciting, no drama, very humdrum session
Some of the central issues are momentous, but the 86th Texas Legislature has managed — so far — not to lose its temper. That’s out of the ordinary, but for a group of politicians who don’t want to be compared to their federal counterparts, it counts as a kind of success.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Advocates say a Texas House bill could prevent arrests like Sandra Bland’s, but multiple attempts to pass it failed
A measure to limit arrests for misdemeanors that only result in fines initially got House approval. Then it failed on a subsequent vote amid what some say was confusion over what the bill would do. Lawmakers tried to revive it Friday evening — after several lawmakers had left the chamber — but that attempt also failed.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas House approves bail reform bill after removing amendment that could keep more poor people in jail
The bill was one of several bail reform measures filed after federal court rulings, jail deaths and a state trooper’s murder drew attention to Texas’ pretrial jailing practices. A late addition to limit who could be released from jail at no cost was removed by lawmakers Friday.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Once again, bills to study the impacts of climate change in Texas have stalled
Democratic state lawmakers filed multiple bills this year to require the state to prepare for a warming planet. None of them have been scheduled for public hearings.