Lawmakers and advocates are pushing for statutory changes and budget allocations to combat sexual assault in Texas. These include expanding the definition of sexual assault and processing a backlog of rape kits.
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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Coronavirus in Texas
Gov. Greg Abbott open to reforming his emergency powers after months of criticism from both parties
The Republican governor said his office is “offering up some legislation ourselves” to deal with some intraparty concerns about executive authority that have cropped up during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Analysis: Greg Abbott’s priorities match what lawmakers are already doing
In his State of the State speech this week, Gov. Greg Abbott laid out his top priorities, and his chances of success might be pretty decent: They match up with the issues Texas legislators were already working on.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Gov. Greg Abbott unveils legislative priorities, including police funding, “election integrity,” expanding broadband access and more
Gov. Greg Abbott designated five emergency items, which are matters the Legislature can vote on within the first 60 days of the session that began Jan. 12.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas Republicans want to keep transgender women out of women’s school sports teams
Lawmakers have filed legislation that would ban transgender girls and women who attend public K-12 schools, colleges and universities from playing on single-sex sports teams designated for girls and women.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Republican lawmakers push to make Texas’ anti-abortion laws among the most restrictive in the nation
With the GOP in control of state government and “a favorable backstop from the courts, it’s going to be a no-holds-barred approach for Republicans on abortion,” one political science professor said.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Republican Texas lawmakers reviving push to end in-state tuition for undocumented college students
Activists worry that if the bill becomes law, many undocumented students will lose opportunities to further their education. They also say it could hurt the state’s economy.
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COVID-19 Recession in Texas
“We do a lot of work”: Texas’ low-wage workers hope for more as Biden, Congress push minimum wage hike
The minimum wage in Texas pays $7.25 an hour, well below a livable wage and far lower than the minimum hourly pay in most states.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Analysis: Not every legislative day in Texas is a workday
During the first month of the Texas legislative session, the House and Senate will have met for less than a week, and most lawmakers will have been away from the Capitol for most of that time. It’s an early sign that this pandemic-shadowed session might be limited in scope.
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Homeless in Texas
As Gov. Greg Abbott vows to ban homeless camping in public, Austin officials and unsheltered residents push for better housing access
A year and a half after Austin lifted a local ban on camping in public, some city officials are pushing to turn hotels into housing for people experiencing homelessness. Meanwhile, a state-sanctioned encampment in the city is full and can’t accept new residents.