The 86th legislative session is in the history books. Who’s up and who’s down after the 140-day marathon in Austin?
86th Legislative Session
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Texas Legislature 2019
To pass school finance and property tax bills, Texas’ legislative leaders had to choose cooperation over combativeness
In the past, personalities got in the way of policy at the Texas Capitol. This year, state leaders refused to let that happen.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas plumbing board and laws abolished after legislative strife
The House failed to pass legislation that would have extended the agency’s existence.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Many marijuana and pro-LGBTQ bills died this legislative session. Expect to see them back in 2021.
While lawmakers in the 86th Texas Legislature advanced measures on some controversial issues, they know it often takes several sessions to pass bills and say they intend to refile them next time.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas lawmakers approve $1.1 billion from state savings to fix teacher pension fund
Senate Bill 12 would increase state, teacher and school district contributions to the pension fund over the next six years and give retired teachers a $2,000 supplemental check.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Legislation with $1.7 billion for flood control and mitigation projects goes to governor
Lawmakers behind the bills said the legislation will create a more resilient Texas and better prepare the state for storms.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas House, Senate approve budget deal with agreements on school finance, property taxes, Hurricane Harvey recovery
Completing negotiations that have taken place over the last few months, Texas House and Senate lawmakers accepted a compromise on a state spending plan for 2020-21.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas legislators strip last-minute $100 million request for border surge
The money had been included in a previous version of the state’s supplemental budget, and legislators had intended for President Donald Trump’s administration to repay the funds.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Despite bipartisan support, Texas bill tackling intellectual disability in death penalty cases fails
Negotiators in the House and Senate couldn’t come to an agreement on a bill addressing how Texas handles capital murder defendants who may be intellectually disabled. In 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that executing people with intellectual disabilities amounts to cruel and unusual punishment.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas lawmakers hope an additional $200 million will decrease dreaded wait times at driver’s license centers
The money will be used to hire more employees, give a raise to current staffers and open two new driver’s license offices in Angleton and Denton. The Department of Public Safety’s management of the offices has drawn criticism, but lawmakers stopped short of moving those duties to another agency.