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.
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
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.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Analysis: When the Texas Legislature’s safest vote is no vote at all
Legislation swapping higher sales taxes for lower property taxes flopped this week, and for lawmakers, it flopped in the best way possible: They never had to cast a vote.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Why Texas abortion opponents aren’t leading the charge to overturn Roe v. Wade
States across the country are advancing “heartbeat bills” that aim to overturn the landmark Supreme Court decision, but major Texas anti-abortion groups are worried that such an approach could backfire.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas LGBTQ Caucus marks major victory, killing bill they feared would hurt gay people
The LGBTQ Caucus, formed this year, notched a major victory Thursday evening, defeating a controversial measure as the Texas House raced toward a midnight deadline.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas House passes bill to prohibit telemarketers from falsifying caller ID
The measure aims to prohibit caller ID spoofing — when callers tamper with information transmitted to people’s phones to disguise their identities.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas narrows law barring contractors from boycotting Israel
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed the bill weeks after a federal judge blocked the existing state law in response to a lawsuit.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Renewable energy proponents brace for last-minute attack on tax breaks for wind and solar
For the past year, an influential conservative think tank has lobbied to make wind and solar projects ineligible for a popular local property tax abatement program. A measure to do that has stalled, but renewable advocates are watching for last-minute changes to other legislation.