TXLEGE 2021
Latest (Page 2)
Democratic Legislators, Staffers Take Abbott to Court
The governor had vowed to veto the Legislature’s funding in the final hours of the regular legislative session in May after House Democrats broke quorum and left the chamber to prevent passage of a controversial elections bill.
Abbott Sets July 8 Special Session Date
Abbott’s office did not specify what legislative priorities will be included on the special session agenda and said in an advisory that such items “will be announced prior to the convening of the special session.”
Abbott Signs Bills Overhauling Power Grid
Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law Tuesday two bills meant to improve the state’s main power grid and change the governance of the agency that operates it.
In Case You Missed It
The Book They Blamed
Anastasia Higginbotham had no idea that her book had caused such an uproar that it was blamed for legislation passed by the Texas legislature, thousands of miles away from her home base in New York.
Texas Democrats Bust Quorum to Prevent Voting Bill Passage
Midnight was the deadline for the House to approve the legislation that would alter nearly the entire voting process, create new limitations to early voting hours, ratchet up voting-by-mail restrictions and curb local voting options.
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Shortchanged of History
I know this as fact: My roots, as far as my family's time in North America, are steeped in the belief that White people are superior to other races.
Senate Approves Voting Bill Overnight
Senate Bill 7 includes provisions to limit early voting hours, curtail local voting options and further tighten voting-by-mail. The upper chamber suspended its own rules to approve it after debating it for hours overnight.
Legislature Sends $248 Billion Budget to Abbott
The Texas Legislature’s two-year, roughly $248 billion state budget is headed to the governor’s desk after the House advanced the proposal Thursday, completing monthslong negotiations between the two chambers.
Stayin’ Alive: What Bills Are Still in Play As Clock Runs Out?
Sine die. Latin for “without a day,” it’s also Texan for “this once every two years simultaneous debacle and demonstration of democracy is almost over.”
Patrick Calls For June Special Session
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Wednesday is asking Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special session of the Texas Legislature in June to advance three pieces of GOP-backed legislation that died in the Texas House at midnight on Tuesday.
Texas House Goes Further Than Senate to Protect Grid
After hours of debate Sunday, the Texas House moved to strengthen the state’s main electricity grid in the wake of February’s catastrophic power outages, giving preliminary approval to a proposal that goes further than the Senate’s in preparing for extreme weather.
HB 3979 Passed, But What Does It Mean?
Around 2 a.m. Saturday, the Texas Senate passed a new version of a house bill that some have touted as being anti-critical race theory -- despite the fact that the phrase never graces the text of the bill.
Ready for a Fight
Educators, students, and school districts are gearing up to fight a bill that they say will making teaching and learning difficult -- and that might hamper programs like International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement courses.
Voices
History Lessons: What Railroads Can Teach Us About Texas’ Electric Grid
"We’re stronger together than we are on our own. I may be a fourth grader, but making sure we all have electricity all the time should be a really big goal. But we’re a really big state, that does really big things. So we can do this, too."
Priority Bills Imperiled as Tensions Rise Between Texas House and Senate
With time dwindling on the legislative session, the Texas House is breaking until Sunday, in an attempt to send the Senate a clear message: Pass our priority bills or see your own legislation die slowly in our chamber.
House Passes CRT Bill on Third Reading
Just hours after voting to give initial approval to a measure that educators say will hamper honest conversations about racism and sexism in the classroom, the Texas House passed its version of a bill that will now go to the state Senate, where a companion bill has already been passed.
Texas House Gives Initial Approval to CRT Bill
Sometime after 1 a.m. Tuesday, the Texas House gave initial approval to a bill that would limit how schools teach students about racism and facets of U.S. history involving the country's actions in regards to people of color.
Dallas ISD Passes Resolution Against So-Called ‘Critical Race Theory’ Bill
Dallas ISD trustees met in a special called meeting Monday afternoon to discuss a bill headed to the Texas House floor Monday night that will bar schools from teaching Critical Race Theory.
Crime
Too Fast, Too Furious, Too Bad You Have No More Car
“This car is their baby. It’s their girlfriend. So this is another tool in our toolbox.”
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Bills Take Aim at Local Control, Finances, and Ratings for Districts
Several bills filed in the Texas legislature could spell trouble for public school districts.