It usually takes a court order to move Texas lawmakers to make big changes to major programs like school finance. But it’s possible, if top leaders are united, to go big without a judicial push.
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
Medicaid, opioids and abortion: Health care issues to expect this Texas legislative session
Amid uncertainty about the federal health law, state legislators will tackle a variety of issues during the session, from abortion to mental health to opioids to funding for Medicaid.
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In Harvey's Wake
Bill would prevent Texans from unknowingly buying homes in areas designed to flood
After Hurricane Harvey inundated the Houston area with rain, scores of homeowners learned too late that their properties were designed to flood. Senate Bill 339 would require sellers to disclose that risk, as well as whether a home has previously flooded.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas lawmakers indicate they may use rainy day fund for school security, hurricane recovery and teachers’ pensions
Hurricane Harvey, school safety and teacher pensions all made the list of priorities likely to receive funding from the state’s Economic Stabilization Fund.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Analysis: For Dan Patrick, something new — the passenger’s seat
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has been the biggest agenda-setter in state leadership in recent legislative sessions. With a narrower majority in the Senate, a closer result in his last election and a new House speaker in place, he’s a bit quieter.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Bill would curtail criminal prosecutions of rent-to-own customers
Sen. Borris Miles, D-Houston, wants to restrain the practice of prosecuting people who default on rent-to-own contracts for household items like TVs and sofas. The proposal comes in the wake of an investigation of rent-to-own prosecutions by The Texas Tribune and Nerd Wallet.
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Graphics and data reporting
In increasingly diverse Texas, the Legislature remains mostly white and male
Here’s a look at the demographics of the 86th Legislature by lawmakers’ race, gender, age, education and religion.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick and Dennis Bonnen promise unity in 2019 legislative session
Texas’ top three leaders are eager to show they’re on the same page as the 86th legislative session begins.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas House votes to strengthen sexual harassment investigations
The chamber voted on a resolution that moves misconduct complaints to a committee with subpoena power.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Dan Patrick says he won the fight over the bathroom bill, but at schools not much has changed
In 2017, Patrick pushed for the controversial measure that would have restricted the use of certain public facilities for transgender Texans, but it failed to become law.