Texas Legislature 2021

The group of hardline conservatives made waves in 2017 by sparring with House leadership and fellow Republicans. Now members say relationships with the broader chamber have improved. Full Story 

Lawmakers and advocates are pushing for statutory changes and budget allocations to combat sexual assault in Texas. These include expanding the definition of sexual assault and processing a backlog of rape kits. Full Story 

The Republican governor said his office is "offering up some legislation ourselves" to deal with some intraparty concerns about executive authority that have cropped up during the coronavirus pandemic. Full Story 

In his State of the State speech this week, Gov. Greg Abbott laid out his top priorities, and his chances of success might be pretty decent: They match up with the issues Texas legislators were already working on. Full Story 

With the GOP in control of state government and “a favorable backstop from the courts, it’s going to be a no-holds-barred approach for Republicans on abortion,” one political science professor said. Full Story 

Gov. Greg Abbott designated five emergency items, which are matters the Legislature can vote on within the first 60 days of the session that began Jan. 12. Full Story 

Lawmakers have filed legislation that would ban transgender girls and women who attend public K-12 schools, colleges and universities from playing on single-sex sports teams designated for girls and women. Full Story 

Activists worry that if the bill becomes law, many undocumented students will lose opportunities to further their education. They also say it could hurt the state’s economy. Full Story 

The minimum wage in Texas pays $7.25 an hour, well below a livable wage and far lower than the minimum hourly pay in most states. Full Story 

During the first month of the Texas legislative session, the House and Senate will have met for less than a week, and most lawmakers will have been away from the Capitol for most of that time. It’s an early sign that this pandemic-shadowed session might be limited in scope. Full Story 

The 2021 Texas legislative session will be unlike any other, as lawmakers work to get the people’s business done in the midst of a pandemic that shows few signs of slowing. Full Story 

A year and a half after Austin lifted a local ban on camping in public, some city officials are pushing to turn hotels into housing for people experiencing homelessness. Meanwhile, a state-sanctioned encampment in the city is full and can't accept new residents. Full Story 

Gov. Greg Abbott will give a State of the State speech next week, an occasion where governors can declare “emergency items” for early legislative consideration. It would be hard to top the emergencies already on the agenda. Full Story 

Las Vegas Sands has hired 51 lobbyists to push for the expansion of gambling in Texas. Full Story 

The violent storming of the U.S. Capitol prompted some states to reconsider allowing firearms in their statehouses. Not Texas. Full Story 

At least four Texas House members have tested positive for the coronavirus since the legislative session began this month. Full Story 

While COVID-19 guidelines will vary between lawmakers’ offices, communication between legislators and the public will largely consist of phone and video calls or small, in-person meetings by appointment. Full Story 

A state fund that subsidizes rural network service is bleeding money. Now the state is drastically cutting the amount of money that it typically pays out to these service providers. Full Story 

State leaders started their last legislative session, in 2019, with a call for unity. By their measure, they got what they set out to accomplish. They’re back to normal this year — not at odds, but not singing “Kumbaya,” either. Full Story 

State Sens. César Blanco, D-El Paso; Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio; and Drew Springer, R-Muenster, detail their ideas to combat the wide-ranging effects of COVID-19 on Texans. Full Story