The latest Greg Abbott news from The Texas Tribune.
Dallas ISD and Austin ISD announced Monday they will require masking, while Houston ISD will vote on a mandate this week. A nonprofit group has also sued to block Abbott’s order. Full Story
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The business of the new special legislative session is like that of the failed first one, with some big items added in apparent response to the rise of the delta variant of the coronavirus in Texas. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott is standing firm on his ban against mask mandates in schools. Some parents are concerned for their children’s safety as in-person classes resume. Full Story
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Medical experts say gender affirming care for transgender children rarely, if ever, includes use of the surgeries Abbott cited in his letter to the head of the Texas Department of Family Protective Services. Full Story
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Funds amounting to at least $12.6 million will be transferred from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to the Senate, the House, and legislative agencies such as the LBB, the Legislative Council and the Legislative Reference Library. Full Story
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Ellzey, a Waxahachie Republican, is in Congress after winning the special election runoff last month for the 6th Congressional District. Full Story
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House Democrats are still camped out in the nation’s capital hinting that many may not return to Austin immediately as the next overtime round starts Saturday. Full Story
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As cases and hospitalizations are reaching heights not seen since February, Abbott’s pandemic playbook in recent weeks has largely focused on blocking local mandates and committing to protecting the rights of the unvaccinated. Full Story
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Many public university officials say they are moving forward with reopening plans as faculty and students worry about rising COVID-19 cases across the state. Full Story
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The governor said Thursday the second special session will get underway at noon Saturday, with a 17-item agenda. Full Story
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In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with Cassi, Jolie and Patrick about the law enforcement presence at the border and Democrats’ and Republicans’ next moves as the special session wraps up. Full Story
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Gender-affirming care, which leading health care organizations in Texas say is the best way to provide care to transgender children, is emerging as a top target of state Republicans and lies at the heart of brewing political and legal battles. Full Story
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For some energy experts, the increase in donations for the officials at the close of the session looks like a reward for not passing more stringent regulations and raises questions about whether lawmakers let the oil, gas and the broader energy industry off easy for its massive failures. Full Story
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Abbott has promised to call a second special session to pass the GOP’s priority voting bill, but the exact timing is uncertain. And House Democrats have not yet revealed what they have planned after the session ends this week. Full Story
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The U.S. Justice Department sued Abbott and Texas after U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland called the order “dangerous and unlawful.” Full Story
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In what some people call an affront to the families of the 2019 shooting victims, Texas Republicans expanded gun rights earlier this year when the state Legislature passed a permitless carry bill. Full Story
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Educators who spoke to The Texas Tribune overwhelmingly denounced the new social studies law going into effect Sept. 1. These are the provisions they say could cause problems for them — and Texas students. Full Story
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Republicans believe they have already compromised enough on the legislation, while Democrats are distrustful of both the policy driving the bill and their GOP colleagues after seeing how they have managed the process around the proposal so far. Full Story
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A lot of the news from the last few days — about the Legislature, about COVID-19 and about immigration — has a real déjà vu quality to it. And there’s a good reason for that. Full Story
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Public health experts and medical professionals are sounding the alarm over the highly transmissible delta variant of COVID-19. The governor has stood firm on his ban against masking mandates in schools. Full Story
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