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Texas House Approves Floor Substitute to Bill Abolishing Texas Lottery Commission
Members of the Texas House granted preliminary legislative approval Sunday evening to a bill proposing substantial alterations to how the Texas Lottery Commission is run after controversy engulfed the agency in recent months. Senate Bill (SB) 3070, authored by Sen. Bob Hall (R-Edgewood), seeks to abolish the Texas Lottery Commission and move its operations and
Texas Senate Gives Initial Approval to Public School Finance, Teacher Pay Raise Deal
The Texas Senate has granted initial approval to an $8.5 billion public education funding and teacher pay package — an agreement that was reached earlier in the week by leaders from both the upper and lower chambers of the Legislature. Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) presented the committee substitute to House Bill (HB) 2 before the
Jury Trial Begins Over Texas Redistricting Maps, Plaintiffs Allege Hispanic Voting Power Diluted
A four-week trial over a redistricting challenge to the congressional maps Texas adopted in 2021 began on Wednesday, with plaintiffs alleging legislators shorted the state two Hispanic-majority congressional districts and multiple in the state House. The conglomeration of redistricting suits against the secretary of state and Gov. Greg Abbott assert that Texas should have two
Trial Begins Over Texas Redistricting Maps, Plaintiffs Allege Hispanic Voting Power Diluted
A four-week trial over a redistricting challenge to the congressional maps Texas adopted in 2021 began on Wednesday, with plaintiffs alleging legislators shorted the state two Hispanic-majority congressional districts and multiple in the state House. The conglomeration of redistricting suits against the secretary of state and Gov. Greg Abbott assert that Texas should have two
Texas House Advances Bill Requiring Schools to Teach History and ‘Atrocities’ of Communism
The Texas House passed a bill this week that will direct the State Board of Education (SBOE) to develop K-12 social studies standards that include education on the “history, tactics, and consequences of communism.” Senate Bill (SB) 24, authored by Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels), was laid out in the lower chamber by Rep. Jeff
THC Product Ban Passes Texas House
A bill to ban certain consumable THC products from being sold in Texas produced heated debate, parliamentary maneuvers, and a bevy of amendments on Wednesday before being finally passed on the House floor. Senate Bill (SB) 3, otherwise known as “Banning THC in Texas,” became one of the most hotly contested pieces of legislation this
Texas House Approves ‘National Life Monument’ Statue on Capitol Grounds
The Texas House gave approval this week to the construction of a new monument on the grounds of the Texas Capitol honoring “the miracle of life and the women at the center of that miracle.” × This page requires Javascript. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it
Texas Legislature Strikes $8.5 Billion Deal on School Finance and Teacher Pay Raises
The Texas House and Senate reached a deal on an $8.5 billion school funding increase that will in part finance teacher pay raises after a night of negotiations between the leaders of the two chambers. The $8.5 billion deal is $800 million higher than what passed the House, and includes $3.7 billion specifically for teacher
‘Life of the Mother Act’ Clarifying Texas Abortion Law Exceptions Passes House
Highly-anticipated legislation clarifying the state’s abortion laws regarding life-of-the-mother exceptions was given initial passage by the Texas House. Rep. Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth) took to the front mic on Wednesday afternoon where he laid out the Life of the Mother Act, Senate Bill (SB) 31 by Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) — companion legislation to Geren’s
Texas Lawmakers Seek Increased Criminal Penalties for ‘Bid-Rigging’
State lawmakers are moving to increase penalties for criminal charges related to “bid-rigging” in response to multiple incidents in Texas jurisdictions, including several high-profile Harris County cases. In alleged bid-rigging cases, public officials are often indicted for Misuse of Official Information, which is a third-degree felony under Texas law. House Bill (HB) 2001 would create
Texas House Passes $140,000 Standard, $60,000 Elderly Homestead Exemption Increases
The second half of the 89th Legislative Session’s property tax deal cleared its secondary hurdle on Tuesday as the Texas House approved increases to both the standard and elderly homestead exemptions. Under the bills passed by the lower chamber, the standard homestead exemption would rise from $100,000 to $140,000, and the additional exemption for over-65
Veterans, Parents, Liquor, and Beer: The Complicated Lobby Fight Over Texas’ Proposed THC Ban
The legislative fight over a prospective tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) ban has made for strange lobbying bedfellows, uniting beer distributors, grassroots conservative groups, and law enforcement on one side, and veterans, cake shop entrepreneurs, progressive activists, and Libertarians on the other — with liquor stores somewhere in between. Six years ago, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill
