State 945
Texas House Passes Bill Eliminating STAAR Test
With near-unanimous agreement, the Texas House passed a bill to reform the state’s public school accountability system by eliminating the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test. “It’s gonna be a great day in the Texas house,” Rep. Brad Buckley (R-Salado) declared while laying out House Bill (HB) 4. × This page requires
Texas House, Senate Pass Bipartisan Reform to Affordable Housing Tax Exemption Program
The Texas House overwhelmingly passed reforms to a controversial affordable housing program over the weekend, with more than 100 members voting to crack down on alleged abuses of the system that critics say did little to provide reduced rents for low-income families. In a lopsided bipartisan vote of 113 to 15, members approved Rep. Gary
Texas House Passes Bipartisan Reform to Affordable Housing Tax Exemption Program
The Texas House overwhelmingly passed reforms to a controversial affordable housing program over the weekend, with more than 100 members voting to crack down on alleged abuses of the system that critics say did little to provide reduced rents for low-income families. In a lopsided bipartisan vote of 113 to 15, members approved Rep. Gary
Prohibition on Local Taxpayer-Funded Gun ‘Buybacks’ Passes Texas House
Legislation banning counties or cities from funding or conducting gun “buyback” programs passed the Texas House on Tuesday afternoon, on the basis that it wastes taxpayer dollars and has proven ineffective in reducing crime. House Bill (HB) 3053 by Rep. Wesley Virdell (R-Brady) successfully made its way through the the lower chamber with 85 votes
Texas House Approves Bill Expanding State Medical Cannabis Program
This week, the Texas House of Representatives passed a bill aimed at expanding and reforming the Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP) by broadening access to medical cannabis for Texans suffering from a wide range of qualifying conditions. Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian) laid out House Bill (HB) 46 on the floor, arguing the legislation is necessary
Chemical Abortion Pill Crackdown Passes Texas Senate, Companion Pending in House
Legislation expanding Texas residents’ ability to crack down on chemical abortion products and distributors through civil lawsuits passed the Texas Senate, while its House companion remains pending in committee. Senate Bill (SB) 2880 by Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) and its companion Rep. Jeff Leach’s (R-Plano) House Bill (HB) 5510, also known as the Women and
Constitutional Amendment Banning Carbon Tax Fails in Texas House
A resolution that would have amended the Texas Constitution to prevent the Legislature from imposing a tax on carbon emissions sparked fiery discussion between the state House of Representatives’ front and back mics on Monday, prior to its unsuccessful passage through the lower chamber. With 93 ayes and 47 nays, House Joint Resolution (HJR) 138
‘Detransition’ Insurance Coverage, Biological Sex Definitions Pass Texas House
Two bills broaching contentious social issues took the stage in the Texas House of Representatives on Saturday night — one requiring insurance companies to cover adverse results from gender modification procedures and detransitions, and the other codifying male and female as the sole biological sexes in state law. House Bill (HB) 229, which both
Attorney General Paxton Announces $1.4 Billion Google Settlement Over Biometric Data Collection
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s 2022 accusation that Google collected “very sensitive information like biometric identifiers” has culminated in a $1.375 billion settlement from the tech company. “In Texas, Big Tech is not above the law. For years, Google secretly tracked people’s movements, private searches, and even their voiceprints and facial geometry through their products
Texas Supreme Court Overturns Rulings in College Station Extra Territorial Jurisdiction Case
The Supreme Court of Texas last week revived a dismissed case filed against the City of College Station in an opinion that could be a bellwether for the future of a 2023 law governing extraterritorial jurisdictions (ETJ) and the authority of the state to rein in local government. “Texans have long permitted the legislature to
House passes a ban on hostile foreign nations and linked entities owning Texas area.
A bill aimed at preventing individuals and entities from purchasing property in the state was debating in the Texas House for almost six hours on Thursday, with a lot of claims both for and against being presented on the House floor. Senate Bill ( SB ) 17 has become one of the most contentious pieces
Texas House App Downloads Requirements and Age Verification
After surviving numerous questions and requests for comment, a bill passed the House on Thursday evening with bipartisan support that would involve all people to show ID and require parental consent for minors to import apps from mobile devices. Senate Bill ( SB ) 2420, which was introduced by Rep. Caroline Fairly’s House Bill (
