We asked our readers for their questions about the special legislative session that starts Thursday in Texas. These are the answers.
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.
Special legislative session is packed with controversy but not clarity, Tribune reporters say
The list of questions is as long as the list of issues for the new session.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Gov. Greg Abbott includes voting restrictions, critical race theory and rules for transgender student athletes on special legislative session agenda
Abbott also put border security and restoring funding to the Legislative branch — which he vetoed last month — on the special session agenda.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Former legislative leaders from both parties oppose Abbott veto of legislative funding as state defends him
In a new court filing, the attorney general’s office said the governor properly used his veto power when he nixed funding for the Legislature in response to House Democrats walkout over a Republican priority bill on elections.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Analysis: The noisiest branch of Texas government goes into overtime
Special sessions are tempting for governors, but they’re risky. Gov. Greg Abbott’s latest attempt — starting Thursday — might go better if it’s relatively short.
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Texas Legislature 2021
2,100 state workers caught in the crosshairs of Gov. Greg Abbott’s veto of Legislature funding
The legislative branch budget includes funding for House and Senate lawmakers, their staffers and those working in nonpartisan legislative agencies. In total, there was more than $410 million allocated in the 2022-23 fiscal budget.
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Texas Legislature 2021
“Everything is on the table”: Democrats mull options for special session, including another walkout
After killing Republicans’ priority voting bill during the regular legislative session, Democratic lawmakers are mulling how to try to stop it in the special session that starts July 8.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Analysis: A critical culture war over how to teach history
The fight over critical race theory is thriving in Texas, and could make an appearance in the special legislative session that starts next week.
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Texas Legislature 2021
State Rep. Jessica González defends Democrats’ walkout on Texas voting bill
González, of Dallas, and fellow state Rep. Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, discussed Senate Bill 7, which failed to pass during the regular legislative session, and what’s next for legislators.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas House Democrats and legislative staffers take Gov. Greg Abbott to court for defunding Legislature
The governor had vowed to veto the Legislature’s funding in the final hours of the regular legislative session in May after House Democrats broke quorum and left the chamber to prevent passage of a controversial elections bill.