State 977
Ban on Child Sexual Abuse NDAs Passes Texas Legislature, Heads to Governor’s Desk
Legislation prohibiting non-disclosure agreements (NDA) in cases of child sexual abuse has passed both chambers in the Texas Legislature and is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. Rep. Jeff Leach (R-Plano) carried House Bill (HB) 748, rendering NDAs void and enforceable when involving minor victims of sexual abuse — a method frequently used by […]
Permanent Daylight Saving ‘Texas Time’ Bill Heads to Abbott’s Desk
Legislation establishing Daylight Saving Time (DST) year-round in Texas, given federal authorization — ending the biannual clock changes — is on its way to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk after passing the Texas Senate. The upper chamber voted out House Bill (HB) 1393 by Rep. Will Metcalf (R-Conroe) on Thursday with 27 votes in favor and […]
$2.5 Billion Water Infrastructure Deal, Additional 10-Year Annual $1 Billion Struck in Texas Legislature
The 2025 Legislature will land the plane on a historic water session, allotting $2.5 billion in not-itemized infrastructure spending with a 50-50 split between new supply and fixing existing infrastructure in the 10-year annually dedicated funding. From the very beginning, state leaders hailed this as the “water session,” emphasizing the need to jumpstart the construction […]
$2.5 Billion Water Infrastructure Deal, Additional 20-Year Annual $1 Billion Struck in Texas Legislature
The 2025 Legislature will land the plane on a historic water session, allotting $2.5 billion in not-itemized infrastructure spending with a 50-50 split between new supply and fixing existing infrastructure in the 20-year annually dedicated funding. From the very beginning, state leaders hailed this as the “water session,” emphasizing the need to jumpstart the construction […]
Texas House Approves ‘New Hollywood’ $300 Million Film Tax Incentive Program
Legislation allotting $300 million in tax incentives per biennium for the film industry in Texas is one step closer to being signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott, after passing the Texas House on Monday — following Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s initiative and prodding from A-list celebrities. The Texas Moving Image Industry Program […]
School Prayer Times and Classroom Ten Commandments Legislation Pass Texas Legislature, Head to Abbott
Bills allowing a formal time of prayer in schools and requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms passed the Texas Legislature and are now headed to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk, after failed attempts by lawmakers in previous legislative sessions. Senate Bill (SB) 10 by Sen. Phil King (R-Weatherford) and SB 11 by Sen. […]
Texas House Passes Texas Sheriffs-ICE Immigration Enforcement Contract Bill
A bill to increase cooperation between Texas sheriffs and federal authorities in order to better enforce immigration law was given approval by state House members this week. Senate Bill (SB) 8, coauthored in the upper chamber by Sens. Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown) and Joan Huffman (R-Houston) and carried in the House by Rep. David Spiller (R-Jacksboro), […]
‘Making Texas Healthy Again’ Nutritional Education, Labeling Bill Advances in House
A floor fight over the future of food in Texas consumed the lower chamber Sunday, as lawmakers dug into a flurry of amendments to Senate Bill (SB) 25. Sen. Lois Kolkhorst’s (R-Brenham) “Making Texas Healthy Again” bill faced mounting opposition and debate over the course of the evening as members offered various changes to the […]
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 […]
