Lawmakers gathered for the start of the 140-day session Tuesday as the coronavirus continues to rage in Texas.
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
Watch: Live video of the Texas House and Texas Senate
During the 2021 legislative session, The Texas Tribune is streaming the Texas House and Senate chambers, which you can watch here. The session runs from Jan. 12 to May 31.
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Texas Legislature 2021
The Texas Legislature convenes for its 2021 session Tuesday. Here are 5 things to watch.
Much about the session — including how it will be conducted during a pandemic — remains uncertain.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Recession cuts how much lawmakers can spend with the next state budget, but decrease isn’t as bad as feared
Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar estimated that lawmakers have $113 billion to spend when they write the next two-year budget.
Watch: Presumptive Speaker Dade Phelan says House will take session “a day at a time” as lawmakers balance agenda with pandemic
Phelan spoke with Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith in a virtual interview on the day before the legislative session is set to begin.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Analysis: The Texas Legislature isn’t like Congress, right?
The Texas Legislature is more bipartisan than Congress, historically speaking. But a unique set of issues to address and an atmosphere of division emanating from Washington, D.C., could test that in the session that starts Tuesday.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas legislators eye tougher rules on chemical tanks to prevent explosions, spills during storms
A string of explosions involving little-regulated petroleum and chemical storage tanks have lawmakers and regulators talking about new rules as the Legislature prepares to convene this month.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Dan Patrick says senators will be tested for coronavirus, seating will be limited for opening day of the Texas Senate
An announcement of protocols for the Jan. 12 event did not mention masks.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas’ medical marijuana program is one of the most restrictive in the country. Advocates hope the Legislature will change that.
There are 3,519 Texans registered with the state to use medical marijuana, though advocates say 2 million people are eligible based on current law.
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Texas Legislature 2021
The 2021 redistricting process will impact Texas politics for the next 10 years. Here’s how it’ll work.
Republicans will control the process, but a legal and political fight is sure to commence over who is empowered and whose voice is diluted.