Texas Legislature 2021

His approach differs somewhat from past sessions, when Abbott kept legislators in suspense on whether certain hot-button proposals would have his support. Full Story 

Nothing is truly dead until the session ends. But committee chairs in both chambers have blocked bills from getting hearings, and supporters have dim hopes that Republican leaders will revive it in time. Full Story 

Previously, the Senate approved a bill that would ask for an election if cities decide to reduce law enforcement budgets. Full Story 

The bill still needs final approval by the House — usually a formality after it's passed in the chamber's first vote — and then will head to the Senate. Full Story 

The bill is in response to nationwide protests against police brutality last year. Full Story 

House Bill 1927 would nix the requirement for Texas residents to obtain a license to carry handguns if they’re not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing a gun. Full Story 

Gov. Greg Abbott has called for expanding the state's civic education curriculum, but the House and Senate are quickly advancing bills that would restrict the discussion of current events and public policy in the classroom and prohibit critical race theory in public schools. Full Story 

The bill would prevent transgender Texas children from joining school sports teams that match their gender identity. Full Story 

Dozens of big companies, local businesses and chambers of commerce issued a statement reflecting the biggest pushback yet by the business community against Texas Republican efforts to further tighten the state's restrictive voting rules. Full Story 

State lawmakers are now trying to change the way ERCOT is governed by requiring members to live in Texas and giving more board seats to political appointees — changes that experts say may do little to improve the power grid. Full Story 

The latest revenue estimate doesn’t take into account all of the federal relief that has been sent to Texas over the past year by Congress through pandemic relief packages. State lawmakers have wrestled with how and who has the authority to spend that money. Full Story 

The Texas House on Tuesday approved House Bill 20, one of Gov. Greg Abbott's emergency items this year, and sent it to the Senate. Full Story 

With the clock on the Legislative session ticking down, the Texas House moved to help fund power plant upgrades for extreme weather. Full Story 

“Oil and gas is the lifeblood of the Texas economy,” state Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, said on the House floor Monday. Full Story 

Huberty was arrested on April 23 in Montgomery County after he crashed his Corvette into a minivan and failed a sobriety test. He was driving home from the state Capitol. Full Story 

The resolution was passed in a 99-46 vote. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still suggest that people wear masks in public places, especially indoors. Full Story 

The bill would nix the requirement for most Texas residents to obtain a license to carry handguns. Texans would also no longer be required to receive training before carrying a handgun in public. Full Story 

The measure likely faces an uphill climb in the Senate, where two years ago Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick opposed similar legislation. Full Story 

The chamber approved three police reform measures that are part of a sweeping set of legislation following the in-custody murder of George Floyd last year. Full Story 

The lieutenant governor said Thursday he still does not have the votes to bring the proposal to the floor of the upper chamber, but he believes that will change by next week. Full Story