After moving at a glacial pace several times this Legislative session, the Texas House on Saturday kicked into high gear and passed measures that could help them avoid a special session.
bathroom bill
Posted in
State Government
Texas lawmakers facing talk of a potential special session
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says state lawmakers might be staying in Austin past May 29 if some key measures, including the “bathroom bill,” don’t pass the House.
Posted in
Politics
Analysis: Patrick takes hostages — and control of legislative session
Amid rumors of a special session, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick put out a short list of bills he wants the House to pass if he’s going to let the Senate advance must-pass legislation. And he appears to have the upper hand in the last days of the session.
Posted in
Politics
Analysis: The eyes of Texas reveal a legislative opening for social conservatives
In a legislative process where so many issues die quietly in committees and parliamentary actions, making politicians attach their names to their positions can be a powerful thing. The “sanctuary cities” bill tested that theory.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Abbott: I urged pastors to pressure Texas House over “bathroom bills”
Gov. Greg Abbott confirmed Tuesday in a radio interview that he has urged pastors to pressure the Texas House to advance the so-called bathroom bills that have languished there for weeks.
Posted in
Politics
“Bathroom bill” in House misses key deadline — but issue stays alive
A key deadline passed on Monday without the House “bathroom bill” getting out of committee, meaning the bill won’t make it to the House floor this session. But that doesn’t mean the issue itself is dead.
Posted in
State Government
Analysis: Texas Legislature flushing sanctuaries, from cities to bathrooms
Texas legislators — along with everyone watching them — expected to lock horns over transgender Texans and the bathroom bill. But the raw debate over sanctuary cities legislation could be the hallmark of this 85th Legislature.
Posted in
TribCast
Sanctuary cities, Buffett Bill and House-Senate budgeting (podcast)
On this week’s special Spring Member Drive edition of the Tribcast, Emily talks to Evan, Ross, Patrick and state Reps. Mary Gonzalez and Jonathan Stickland about the impending sanctuary cities floor fight, the controversial fast-tracked “Buffett Bill” and whose budget is better, the House or the Senate.
Posted in
Politics
“Bathroom bill” hearing went past this 7-year-old’s bedtime. Here’s what she wanted to say.
Listen to what a 7-year-old transgender girl had planned to say last week during a Texas House State Affairs Committee hearing on a bill that would regulate bathroom use for transgender Texans.
Posted in
Transportation
Bathrooms and ride-hailing cross paths in the Texas Legislature (video)
House Republicans successfully added gender-defining language to a bill that would regulate companies like Uber and Lyft. That’s among the news in this week’s Texas Political Roundup.