Beto O’Rourke group gives $600,000 to Texas House Democrats’ stay in Washington, D.C.
Members left Texas about 10 days ago and have said they plan to stay out of state until after the special session ends Aug. 6. Full Story
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![Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-El Paso, speaks at “Texans Rally for Our Voting Rights” at the Texas Capitol in Austin on May 8, 2021. Critics of SB 7 claim that the legislation suppresses voting rights by limiting and changing state voting procedures.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Sixth Texas Democrat in Washington, D.C., tests positive for COVID-19
The Texas House Democratic Caucus, which has said it plans to not identify lawmakers who test positive, has started additional precautionary measures, such as providing daily rapid tests. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott says he’ll soon unveil plan to restrict transition-related medical care for transgender children
The move comes after bills to do so were unsuccessful during the regular legislative session — and after Abbott did not include them on his agenda for the ongoing special session. Full Story
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![Ali Cross of the Austin Cheer squad waves a trans flag while her squad mates hold her up on the steps of the state Capitol at a rally against anti-trans legislation on April 28, 2021.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate advances bills limiting education about race, access to abortion-inducing medications. The House is still sidelined.
It's largely symbolic, but the Texas Senate is nearing the end of its work on Republican priorities for the special legislative session after passing bills limiting "critical race theory" and abortion access Friday. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick presides over the Senate on July 14, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate approves limits on transgender athletes, but bills are still in limbo
Transgender students would be prevented from joining public school and university sports teams that correspond to their gender. Full Story
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![Transgender rights activists gather outside the entrance to the House floor on May 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Behind the partisan drama lies a profoundly serious struggle over who gets shut out under Texas voting laws
Whose voices will be heard in Texas halls of power? That question beats at the heart of the Democratic quorum break that has brought the Legislature to a halt and focused national attention on GOP efforts to make voting in Texas harder. Full Story
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![Tevin English holds signs in front of the Texas Capitol at a Voting Rights Advocacy Day rally held by various voting rights advocacy groups on July 13, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Texans, where’s your Democratic lawmaker?
Here’s a list of the Texas Democrats who left the state in an effort to block GOP voting legislation. Full Story
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![An empty House floor the day after Texas Democrats left the state to break quorum over a Republican-led voting restrictions bill. July 13, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Senate presses forward passing GOP voting and bail bills, as Texas House in chaos over Democrats’ decampment
If the House Democrats who skipped town to block voting legislation don’t return before the special session ends, the Senate bills will languish without becoming law. Full Story
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![A poll worker feeds a voting machine and power cord through a voter’s car window in the drive-through line at NRG Stadium in Houston during the first day of early voting on Oct. 13, 2020.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
What's in the new voting restriction legislation introduced in the Texas House and Senate
Senate Bill 1 and House Bill 3 will be the starting points for the Legislature's efforts to tighten Texas voting laws. Here's what the bills would do. Full Story
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![Individuals stand on the south steps of the Texas Capitol in support of voting rights at a press conference organized by Black Voters Matter, the Texas Right to Vote Coalition, Texas for All Coalition and other advocacy groups on July 8, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Texas House attempting to reset on contentious elections bill with new author, new committee in special session
The lower chamber, led by House Speaker Dade Phelan, is trying to start off on a new foot with a controversial election bill that blew up during the regular session. Full Story
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![A voting sign at the South Austin Recreation Center polling site on Oct. 14, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
State Sen. Jane Nelson announces she won't seek reelection
The Flower Mound lawmaker is the most senior Republican in the upper chamber and has served as its top budget writer for the past four sessions. Full Story
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![State Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flowermound, on the Senate Floor on March 4, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: A majority of Texas voters isn’t enough to sway a Republican state government
The Texas Legislature has a Republican majority, and knowing what most voters want isn't the best way to predict what lawmakers will do. You have to know what Republican voters want. Full Story
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Texas House Democrats and legislative staffers take Gov. Greg Abbott to court for defunding Legislature
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. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott signs Senate Bill 2 and Senate Bill 3 at the Texas Capitol on June 8, 2021. The omnibus power grid bills will change the state’s power grid and the people who oversee it.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott wants lawmakers to target critical race theory in a special session, but is so far mum on details
The governor said Wednesday he would add the issue to the agenda for an anticipated special session. Full Story
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![Fifth graders at Jacob’s Well Elementary School in Wimberley lineup at the door as they prepare to walk back to their classroom from the science lab on Sept. 4, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: The 2021 Texas Senate, from left to right
Based on the votes they cast during the just-concluded regular session, the author ranks the members of the Texas Senate from most conservative to most liberal. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick presides over the Senate chambers in Austin on May 30, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Kamala Harris to host White House meeting with Texas Democrats who blocked voting bill
The meeting will take place Wednesday, according to Harris' office. Full Story
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![State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, speaks at a press conference at Mt. Zion Baptist Church near the state Capitol in Austin after Democrats broke quorum in opposition to Senate Bill 7, a sweeping GOP voting bill. May 30, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Republican state Sen. Dawn Buckingham running for Texas land commissioner
The news of her decision comes two days after the current land commissioner, George P. Bush, announced he was running for attorney general next year, challenging fellow Republican Ken Paxton. Full Story
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![State Sen. Dawn Buckingham, R-Lakeway at the Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 23, 2017.]()
Credit: Kelly West for The Texas Tribune -
Republicans say they’ll tweak part of Texas elections bill criticized for impact on Black churchgoers
The provision deals with the window for early voting on Sundays, and the current version of the bill raised concerns that it would hinder get-out-the-vote efforts by Black churches. Full Story
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![State Rep. Travis Clardy, R-Nacogdoches, on the House floor on May 7, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
With feelings raw over voting bill's demise, Texas Legislature wraps up — for now
Members celebrated the end of the session, but also acknowledged that they’ll be back sometime soon for at least one special session. Full Story
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![House members praised House Speaker Dade Phelan on Sine Die. May 31, 2021.]()
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott vows to defund state Legislature after voting restrictions bill fails, threatening salaries
“No pay for those who abandon their responsibilities,” Abbott tweeted Monday. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks with lawmakers on the House floor during the legislative session on Sunday, May 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune
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