With a quorum break on the table for the minority party as a way to thwart a GOP bid for more congressional seats, members travel out-of-state for a third time.
Texas Legislature 2025
Texas lawmakers are in Austin for the 89th Texas Legislature’s second, 30-day special session. They are redrawing the state’s congressional map, considering limits on consumable THC products and pushing flood preparedness measures. A first special session ended without successful legislation after House Democrats fled the state to block Republicans’ proposed congressional redistricting map. The regular session ran from January to June and resulted in a new school voucher program, a ban on DEI initiatives in public schools and proposals to increase the state’s water supply.
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Redistricting Texas 2025
Texas Democrats are fundraising to potentially leave the state to block GOP-backed redistricting
The money could be used to cover the $500-a-day fines lawmakers would incur under House rules set to discourage members from absconding after Democrats fled the state in 2021.
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Redistricting Texas 2025
Texas House redistricting committee’s Houston hearing draws criticism over absence of maps
Democratic members slammed the process, questioning why hearings were happening before maps were available for review. Chair Cody Vasut said follow-up public hearings will be scheduled once maps are filed.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Texas GOP Rep. Giovanni Capriglione admits affair, denies abortion allegations
A conservative news site published an interview with a woman who alleges a 17-year affair with the Southlake representative, who said this week he wouldn’t seek reelection.
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Redistricting Texas 2025
Texans, Democrats condemn GOP redistricting plans at first public hearing
At the first of at least seven hearings, members of the public aired grievances about the unusual mid-decade redistricting effort.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Texas again trying to restrict the bathrooms transgender people can use
The bills would carry a $5,000 fine for a first-time violation and comes as momentum for such restrictions has increased in the state and nationally.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Meet the Californian who pushed Texas lawmakers to help fix the state’s housing crisis
A bipartisan coalition, organized by Nicole Nosek, played a role in getting the Legislature to pass laws tackling the state’s housing affordability woes.
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Hill Country floods
Plans for flood warning system floundered before Hill Country floods, witnesses tell legislative flood committee
Lawmakers serving on special committees investigating deadly floods blasted a river authority for failing to build a flood warning system on the Guadalupe River.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, first Texas DOGE chair, will not seek reelection
The Southlake Republican will serve the remainder of his seventh term. Keller Mayor Armin Mizani said on Wednesday he would run for the District 98 seat.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Texas Senate committee doubles down on THC ban, saying state and local governments don’t have the resources for regulations
Senate Bill 5 would ban products containing any detectable amount of any cannabinoid, creating criminal offenses for possession of hemp-derived THC.