Sen. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, spent years negotiating with industry groups to get new regulations placed on the chemical industry after the ITC fire in 2019. The bill has passed both chambers, but small changes need to be ironed out before it is sent to Gov. Greg Abbott.
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Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Texas House goes further than Senate to protect state’s main power grid as time to agree on bills winds down
The Texas House for hours on Sunday debated its proposal to better prepare for extreme weather. The chambers have a little more than a week to wrap up remaining work.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Polling places for urban voters of color would be cut under Texas Senate’s version of voting bill being negotiated with House
Voters in some urban, Democratic areas of Harris and Tarrant counties would see a drastic drop in polling places under the Senate version of Senate Bill 7, a Texas Tribune analysis shows.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
Gov. Greg. Abbott says no public schools or government entities will be allowed to require masks
While 30% of Texans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the vast majority of children are unvaccinated. The Pfizer vaccine was authorized last week for children as young as 12.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Bill that would make it a felony for Texas protesters to obstruct emergency vehicles heads to the governor’s desk
The Senate passed House Bill 9, filed in response to last year’s nationwide protests against police brutality, on a 25-5 vote. Gov. Greg Abbott has already indicated his support.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Texas’ divisive bill limiting how students learn about current events and historic racism passed by Senate
The bill aims to ban critical race theory in public and open-enrollment charter schools. Supporters say it merely ensures students aren’t taught that one race or gender is superior to another. Critics say it limits how race in America is taught.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Day after Texas House demands action, Senate committee moves on a few criminal justice reform measures
Among the bills approved by the Senate Jurisprudence Committee is one that would require police officers to keep their body cameras activated during investigations.
Posted in
Environment
Houston, Harris County get nothing in latest round of $1 billion federal Hurricane Harvey relief funding
Houston and Harris County were denied funding over other Texas communities despite requesting $1.3 billion for ongoing relief efforts. Local officials are asking the federal government to intervene.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Secretary of State Ruth Hughs, Texas’ top elections official, to resign after Senate takes no action on her confirmation
The Senate Nominations Committee never took up Hughs’ nomination, requiring her to leave office at the end of the legislative session.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Legislators running out of time to pass bills curbing law enforcement agencies from hiring bad officers
Texas law enforcement agencies have long dealt with troublesome officers who move from one department to another. Transparency bills aim to make their disciplinary records more easily accessible to such agencies.
