If passed, Texas’ anti-transgender legislation will require student athletes to play on school sports teams that don’t align with their gender identity.
Texas Legislature 2021
The 87th Texas Legislature approved hundreds of new laws during its regular session that ended in May 2021, including a near-total ban on abortions. Lawmakers then returned to Austin for three special sessions aimed at passing additional conservative priorities. Although House Democrats fled the state for weeks, lawmakers eventually passed new voting restrictions. They also approved new political maps and a proposed constitutional amendment that could lower property tax bills.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Signed warrants produce no arrests of Texas Democrats for now, but perhaps a hardened resolve to stay away
It’s unclear how far Republican leadership plans to take the arrests, and there remains debate about the limits of law enforcement’s authority to detain lawmakers who are not accused of committing crimes.
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Coronavirus in Texas
TribCast: Local officials defy Gov. Greg Abbott on mask orders as COVID-19 rages
In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with James, Patrick and Joshua about COVID-19 overwhelming hospitals again and efforts to restore a quorum in the Texas House.
Posted inHealth care
Texas cancer patients and people with PTSD will soon be able to join state’s expanded medical marijuana program
A new law going into effect Sept. 1 will also increase the cap of THC in medical marijuana to 1%.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan signs 52 arrest warrants for absent Democrats in bid to end chamber’s weekslong stalemate
The Texas Supreme Court earlier Tuesday ruled that Democrats who refuse to show up could be detained by law enforcement and brought back to the state Capitol.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas Supreme Court allows for arrest of Democrats who don’t show up to Legislature
The Texas Supreme Court voided a lower court ruling that blocked the arrests of the Democrats who don’t show up for the year’s second special legislative session.
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Texas Abortion Restrictions
“The clock is ticking”: Texans will navigate more hurdles under new law outlawing abortions before many know they’re pregnant
The state’s “fetal heartbeat” law going into effect Sept. 1 is considered one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the nation.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas Democrats at odds with one another as some return to Legislature and others stay in Washington, D.C.
While the quorum-busting Democrats were able to maintain a largely united front during the first special session, which ended Friday, it was clear they reached a fork in the road when the second special session began a day later.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas House, just shy of a quorum, issues order to lock members inside the chamber
This is the second time in recent weeks the majority Republican House has voted to issue a “call of the House,” though members on Monday did not offer or debate a motion to enable law enforcement to track down members still missing from the chamber.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Forging ahead, Texas Senate committee again passes voting restrictions bill
Senate Bill 1 is nearly identical to legislation considered in the first special session, containing many of the provisions that have spawned a monthslong game of legislative brinkmanship with House Democrats, who continue to deny Republicans the quorum needed to enact the bill.