When lawmakers find something in the law that they don’t like — or that their voters don’t like — they can always say they didn’t know what they were voting on. It happens more than you’d think.
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 2022 Elections
Weighing reelection bid, GOP Texas Sen. Kel Seliger confronts redrawn district, Trump endorsement of primary challenger
After high-profile clashes with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a fellow Republican, Seliger suspects members of his own party are trying to oust him.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas bill limiting transgender student athletes’ sports participation clears key hurdle on way to becoming law
A House committee approved the bill despite emotional testimony from parents of transgender Texas children. This is the fourth legislative session this year in which lawmakers targeted LGBTQ kids.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas Senate takes another run at supposed election fraud, approving audits of 2020 results and tougher illegal voting penalties
The bills reflect GOP efforts to further tighten voting laws, and pressure from former President Donald Trump on Texas Republicans to help advance his baseless election fraud claims. They are not expected to go far in the House.
Posted inPolitics
After minor changes, advocates are confident a bill requiring adequate shelter for dogs can avoid another Gov. Greg Abbott veto
The new proposal, like its predecessor, would amend the health and safety code to make the unlawful restraint of a dog a criminal offense — and more clearly outline proper treatment.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Gov. Greg Abbott calls for stiffer penalty for illegal voting — weeks after he signed a bill lowering it
The punishment for the crime was scheduled to go down in December, due to the passage of a sweeping bill that restricted the state’s voting process and narrowed local control of elections.
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Redistricting Texas
Senate panel advances Texas Senate and State Board of Education maps
The initial drafts of both maps have so far attempted to strengthen Republican majorities by protecting incumbents and creating more GOP-friendly districts.
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Texas Legislature 2021
“It just keeps on happening”: Texas parents fight legislation targeting their trans children for the fourth time this year
The Texas Senate has passed a bill restricting transgender youth from playing on sports teams consistent with their gender identity four separate times in 2021.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Analysis: Texas politicians are thinking what they think their voters think they should think
It’s fashionable to gripe about polls, but they can expose voter sentiment and reveal, sometimes, why elected officials act the way they do.
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Texas Abortion Restrictions
Texas law restricting access to abortion medications goes into effect Dec. 2 after governor signs bill
The new law narrows the window in which physicians are allowed to give abortion-inducing medication to patients from 10 weeks to seven weeks into pregnancy, bucking FDA guidelines.