If the bill becomes law, Texas will join at least five other states that have passed such legislation.
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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Redistricting Texas
Texas congressional map heads into last-minute negotiations as Democrats decry shortage of Hispanic representation
Though people of color drove nearly all of Texas’ population gains in the last decade, the proposed map gives white voters control of both of the two new congressional districts the state earned.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Lawmakers send to Gov. Greg Abbott new political maps that would further solidify the GOP’s grip on the Texas Legislature
The redistricting plans for the House, Senate and State Board of Education were approved Friday.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas Senate approves $3 billion college campus construction bill
Lawmakers haven’t passed a tuition revenue bond bill since 2015.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas House wants to use federal COVID relief funds to send out $525 checks — but only to homeowners
Republican lawmakers have faced pressure to provide some form of property tax relief this year. Critics of a new proposal say it’s politically timed.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas House approves bill targeting transgender student athletes after lawmakers’ three previous attempts faltered
Under House Bill 25, K-12 student athletes would be prohibited from competing on school sports teams aligned with their gender identity. The bill will now head to the Senate, where it is expected to pass.
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Coronavirus in Texas
As Texas GOP wages war on COVID-19 mandates, lawmakers OK bill that would make companies requiring the shot vulnerable to lawsuits
Senate Bill 51 would make any entity, including hospitals, vulnerable to discrimination lawsuits if they mandate vaccinations for all employees.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick asks Gov. Greg Abbott to add higher ed construction projects to third special session
The Texas Legislature has not approved bonds to fund capital projects on public university campuses since 2015, and many school leaders say they need help to build new buildings and maintain current structures.
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TribCast
TribCast: A federal judge temporarily blocks Texas’ near-total abortion ban
In this week’s TribCast, Matthew speaks with Alexa and Reese about the ongoing court fights over Texas’ new abortion law and the redistricting process in Texas.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas Senate passes bill to direct federal relief money to state agencies, hospitals and tourism industry
Allocating those dollars, which the state received under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, was among the items on Gov. Greg Abbott’s special session agenda for the Legislature’s third overtime round of the year.