The Legislature is expected to return soon for another special session focused on redrawing the state’s political maps.
Texas Senate
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Texas Legislature 2021
Social media companies can’t ban Texans over political viewpoints under new law
The law requires social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram to produce regular reports of removed content and disclose their content regulations procedures.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas House advances bill to restore money to pay salaries for 2,100 state workers after Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed Legislature funding
The legislation will need another stamp of approval in the House before it heads to the Senate, which has not yet debated its version of the proposal on the floor.
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Texas Legislature 2021
GOP’s so-called critical race theory bill advances as bill to restrict transgender student athletes stalls in House committee
The committee action came less than 24 hours after Dutton had taunted Patrick, threatening to hold his prized legislation back amid rumors that the Senate was stalling a bill to restore funding to the Legislature.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Analysis: Texas lawmakers have two contentious voting fights ahead — if they can stay in the same room
After a standoff that lasted more than a month, the Texas House appears to have enough state representatives in Austin to conduct business. The divisions are deep, relationships are frayed and redistricting lies ahead.
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Texas Legislature 2021
The threats of state troopers arresting House Democrats have yet to materialize
As of Wednesday, there were no known cases of absent Democrats being arrested, and the chamber was still shy of the 100 members it needs for a quorum to conduct official business. That is despite its Aug. 10 vote to proceed with the arrests.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas Senate outlasts 15-hour filibuster by Sen. Carol Alvarado to pass GOP voting-restrictions bill
The Houston Democrat was on her feet speaking, not allowed to sit or lean against her desk, and unable to take bathroom breaks or drink water, since Wednesday evening. But ultimately the bill she opposed passed Thursday on an 18-11 vote.
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Coronavirus in Texas
“I am frightened by what is coming”: Texas hospitals could soon be overwhelmed by COVID-19 caseload, officials say
The number of COVID-19 patients in Texas hospitals is rising too fast for hospitals to keep up with, hospital leaders told state lawmakers Tuesday.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas House, just shy of a quorum, issues order to lock members inside the chamber
This is the second time in recent weeks the majority Republican House has voted to issue a “call of the House,” though members on Monday did not offer or debate a motion to enable law enforcement to track down members still missing from the chamber.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Forging ahead, Texas Senate committee again passes voting restrictions bill
Senate Bill 1 is nearly identical to legislation considered in the first special session, containing many of the provisions that have spawned a monthslong game of legislative brinkmanship with House Democrats, who continue to deny Republicans the quorum needed to enact the bill.
