BRYAN HUGHES

All over the state, county officials report they’re rejecting hundreds of applications for mail-in ballots, an issue several attribute to recent election law changes championed by state Republicans.

Texas state Sen. Bryan Hughes authored a controversial abortion law that places enforcement power into the hands of the public, but he was dismissive of California Gov. Gavin Newsom's suggestion that his state do something similar with gun control.

Mark Lee Dickson helped Texas towns ban abortion. On Friday, the Supreme Court declined to block a state law modeled on his ordinance. “We can go anywhere now,” he said.

Anti-abortion groups and reproductive rights activists faced off outside the U.S. Supreme Court as it heard Texas' abortion case.

Six justices — including two who voted against blocking Senate Bill 8 when it first went into effect — voiced concern that other states could replicate the controversial law’s enforcement mechanism.

The new political maps drawn by the Texas Senate don't just favor Republicans; that much was expected from a Republican majority. The maps help Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick pick which Republicans he wants in the Senate.

AUSTIN (AP) — Republican Texas Gov.[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday picked as the state's new elections chief an attorney who briefly joined former President Donald Trump's legal team last year as it challenged the 2020 election results.

Bills intended to block any Texas entity, including hospitals and private businesses, from mandating COVID-19 vaccines for employees failed to pass the Texas Legislature before lawmakers adjourned the third special legislative session early Tuesday morning.

A prohibition on vaccine mandates was one of Gov. Greg Abbott’s priorities for the special session, but it did not have enough support in the Legislature.

State Sen. Bryan Hughes authored the six-week abortion ban and the elections bill and carried other conservative priorities that grabbed national attention.

Here are things to know for Wednesday, September 8:

Republicans in America’s largest conservative state for years racked up victories under the slogan “Keep Texas Red,” a pledge to quash a coming blue wave that Democrats argued was inevitable given shifting demographics.

Republicans in Texas achieved one of their major 2021 goals on Tuesday, as Gov. Greg Abbott signed a controversial and expansive bill that imposes major restrictions on how people can vote in the state.

Republicans in America’s largest conservative state for years racked up victories under the slogan “Keep Texas Red,” a pledge to quash a coming blue wave that Democrats argued was inevitable given shifting demographics.

Gov. Greg Abbott signed <a href="https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/872/billtext/pdf/SB00001I.pdf#navpanes=0">Senate Bill 1</a>, which is what he also calls the “election integrity bill,” into law on Tuesday in Tyler, Texas.

Medical and reproductive health experts say the reference to a heartbeat is medically inaccurate as an embryo does not have a developed heart at six weeks’ gestation.

House Bill 20’s primary Senate sponsor argued that social media platforms are the modern equivalent of “common carriers” and should be treated as such in terms of protecting freedom of speech.

The Houston Democrat was on her feet speaking, not allowed to sit or lean against her desk, and unable to take bathroom breaks or drink water, since Wednesday evening. But ultimately the bill she opposed passed Thursday on an 18-11 vote.

Senate Bill 1 is nearly identical to legislation considered in the first special session, containing many of the provisions that have spawned a monthslong game of legislative brinkmanship with House Democrats, who continue to deny Republicans the quorum needed to enact the bill.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Country music legend Willie Nelson led more than a thousand spectators in singing "vote them out" Saturday from the steps of the Texas Capitol during a rally wrapping up a four-day march in support of Democratic state legislators who bolted for Washington two weeks ago to block GOP-backed voting restrictions.

Nelson led more than a thousand attendees in the song written just for the day.

Hundreds of people packed the steps of the Texas Capitol at a protest rally to make the end of a four-day march in support of voting rights.

Country music legend Willie Nelson led more than a thousand spectators in singing “vote them out” Saturday from the steps of the Texas Capitol during a rally wrapping up a four-day march in support of Democratic state legislators who bolted for Washington two weeks ago to block GOP-backed voting restrictions. Families with lawn chairs spread out across the sprawling Capitol greens in Austin. Clergy, politicians, constituents and musicians all spoke out about the proposals to impose voter ID requirements, limit ballot drop boxes and mail voting, and strip local officials of their election authority.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s son says Texas Republicans are misrepresenting his father’s words in effort to whitewash history.

Republican Texas lawmakers have justified their efforts to limit how racism and current events are taught in school by saying that critical race theory judges people by the color of their skin. Martin Luther King III and experts disagree.

An education bill that was recently passed along party lines by the Texas Senate removed, among other things, a teaching requirement about “the history of white supremacy… and the ways in which it is morally wrong.”

It's largely symbolic, but the Texas Senate is nearing the end of its work on Republican priorities for the special legislative session after passing bills limiting "critical race theory" and abortion access Friday.

If the House Democrats who skipped town to block voting legislation don’t return before the special session ends, the Senate bills will languish without becoming law.

If the House Democrats who skipped town to block voting legislation don’t return before the special session ends, the Senate bills will languish without becoming law.

"It's a little like Groundhog Day here, senator," Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said before the bill passed.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Democrats in the Texas Legislature were planning Monday to leave the state for Washington, D.C., in a second revolt against a GOP overhaul of election laws, creating another dramatic showdown over voting rights in America.

Democratic lawmaker says Republicans who are intent on passing new voting bills are "doing everything they can to cling on to power."

The bill would also remove a requirement to teach that white supremacy is "morally wrong." One Democratic lawmaker said the bill’s attempts could lead to a “frightening dystopian future.”

The 11-item agenda he released on Wednesday includes a slew of Republican priorities. Among them are measures to expand cash bail, constrain how educators talk about racism in the classroom, and bar transgender students from playing on school sports teams that align with their gender identity.

Rattlesnakes hate hot weather, experts say

Rattlesnakes hate hot weather, experts say

Rattlesnakes hate hot weather, experts say

In the Texas legislature, Republicans seemed willing to acknowledge systemic racism but resistant to the idea of talking about it with children.

Republicans have produced few examples of fraud — and they're seen as out of proportion to sweeping changes that seek to reshape the way many Texans vote.

Democrats criticized the bill's restrictions for disproportionately affecting people of color.

Senate Bill 7 includes provisions to limit early voting hours, curtail local voting options and further tighten voting-by-mail. The upper chamber suspended its own rules to approve it after debating it for hours overnight.

Texas educators worried the bill would have a chilling effect on tough conversations about race and racism. GOP lawmakers said they wanted to ensure teachers' personal biases stay out of their lessons

The national motto would have to be hung in a

The bill aims to ban critical race theory in public and open-enrollment charter schools. Supporters say it merely ensures students aren't taught that one race or gender is superior to another. Critics say it limits how race in America is taught.

Greg Abbott signed a bill banning abortion once a heartbeat can be detected and letting Texans sue those who “aid and abet” a woman getting the procedure.

The Senate opted not to accept the House changes to Senate Bill 7, prompting the formation of a conference committee to iron out the differences.

O’Rourke lambasted Abbott’s decision to pull back the Lone Star State mask mandate in March, calling it a "death warrant" and claiming that the governor was "killing the people of Texas" by nixing required face coverings.

State-supported living centers, publicly funded hospitals, prisons, and jails are exempt from the new order.

Albert Watkins, the attorney for Jacob Chansley (perhaps better known as "QAnon Shaman"), spoke on the record with Talking Points Memo about his client's alleged role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. In the interview, published by TPM on Tuesday, Watkins used shockingly offensive language in an attempt to defend Chansley's alleged actions, saying Chansley has Asperger's syndrome, and asserting that other participants in the riot have intellectual disabilities that were to blame. "These are people with brain damage," he said. He also claimed they were subjected to what he described as the most powerful propaganda campaign since Adolf Hitler's. Read the full, graphic passage from the TPM story below. I spoke to the "QAnon Shaman" Jacob Chansley's attorney, Albert Watkins, for this story. Here's what he had to say... https://t.co/6gZ2jzPvSh pic.twitter.com/b4w62dYvLN — Matt Shuham (@mattshuham) May 18, 2021 More stories from theweek.comThe threat of civil war didn't end with the Trump presidency7 scathingly funny cartoons about Liz Cheney's ousterBiden reportedly likes a 'low-key' White House

Big conventions, events and general tourism would take a hit in Texas as companies and people don’t like to do business in states that have laws that seem discriminatory.

The Texas Senate passed a controversial new voting bill Thursday morning.

Senate Bill 7 is at the forefront of Texas Republicans’ crusade to further restrict voting in the state after last year’s election.

Senate Bill 7 is at the forefront of Texas Republicans’ crusade to further restrict...

Senate Republicans on Thursday cleared the way for new, sweeping restrictions to voting in Texas that take particular aim at forbidding local efforts meant to widen access.

Some experts have raised doubts whether the bill will hold up in court.

The Texas Senate on Tuesday gave initial approval to a measure that would prohibit social media companies with at least 100 million monthly users from blocking, banning, demonetizing, or discriminating against a user based on their viewpoint or their location within Texas. Senate Bill 12, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Bryan Hughes of Mineola, was approved on second reading by a vote of 18-13. Facebook, Twitter and Google, which owns YouTube, did not respond to requests for comment. The bill will require one more vote from the Senate, an action that is usually just a formality after it is passed on second reading. Hughes in 2019 filed a similar measure that won Senate approval, but it ultimately died in committee in the Texas House.

Former Democratic congressman Beto O'Rourke speaks against new proposed voting restrictions at the Texas Capitol on Thursday, March 25, 2021, in Austin, Texas. Proposed legislation before the GOP-led state Senate and House mirrors a nationwide campaign by Republicans that aims to restrict voting even more, with rules Democrats say disenfranchise racial and ethnic minorities. AdAmy Litzinger, of Austin, is among Texans who say the very health issues keeping her from testifying before lawmakers in person will also penalize her if stricter voting legislation becomes law. Brian Kemp drew protests Thursday when he signed into law a sweeping GOP-sponsored overhaul of state elections — and the fights will undoubtedly end up in the courts. AdBack in Austin, Jose Colon Uvalles was back at the Capitol again Friday to advocate against voting restrictions.

The proposed bill would strip Texas officials of their typical enforcement role — and open the door for any Texan to sue providers they thought weren’t complying with state abortion laws. The proposed bill would strip Texas officials of their typical enforcement role — and open the door for any Texan to sue providers they thought weren’t complying with state abortion laws. By pushing enforcement to the civil court system, anti-abortion activists hope to make it harder to sue state officials to stop an unconstitutional law. SB 8 would let anyone in Texas sue an abortion provider if they believe they violated state laws. AdThe Texas bill goes further, but Cohen said the precedent would apply if the Texas bill passes.

Senate Bill 2142, sponsored by state Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, had not even been filed when the day started Monday, but lawmakers suspended their rules to hastily push it through the Senate. Senate Bill 2142, sponsored by state Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, had not even been filed when the day started Monday — and the full Senate hadn't been scheduled to convene. The bill states that the PUC "has all necessary authority" to order ERCOT to reprice billions in charges after the state's power grid operator imposed a cap on electricity prices during the winter storm. The other two spots on the PUC are vacant because their prior occupants resigned after the winter storm. Earlier Monday, Abbott again put the onus of responding to winter storm fallout squarely on the Legislature.

Senate Bill 2142, sponsored by state Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, had not even been filed when the day started Monday — and the full Senate hadn’t been scheduled to convene. But the bill was quickly read on the Senate floor and referred to the Senate Jurisprudence Committee for a hearing on Monday morning. PUC and ERCOT leaders say the prices were intentionally left high to incentivize generators to send power during widespread outages. The PUC’s sole serving member, Arthur D’Andrea, told the state Senate last week that he does not have the authority to retroactively adjust prices. The other two spots on the PUC are vacant because their prior occupants resigned after the winter storm.

Texas state Senator Bryan Hughes, who sponsored the bill and spoke along with Abbott, said that all the state wanted to do was protect the freedoms of its citizens. "I feel confident that any court would hold that a law passed by a state to regulate content on social media platforms is not allowed." Conservatives have long claimed that they are censored on social media websites, even though there is little independent evidence to support that. A study released last month by New York University found no reliable backing for the contention that conservatives are regularly blacklisted on mainstream social media websites. "I think social media platforms have the same rights."

Greg Abbott joined Sen. Bryan Hughes on Thursday to discuss Senate Bill 12 (SB12), which prohibits social media companies from “censoring Texans based on viewpoints they express”. “Too many social media sites silence conservative speech and ideas, and trample free speech. “We need to recognize that when we see the First Amendment under assault by social media companies, it is not going to be tolerated in Texas,” Abbott said. Senate Bill 12 will not only prohibit social media companies from censoring Texans’ viewpoints, but it will also allow Texans to file a lawsuit if they believe they were wrongfully blocked from a social media site for expressing their opinions. The government cannot force social media platforms to distribute other parties speech and it can’t tell social media platforms what to publish,” Huddleston said.

Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas TribuneTwo years ago, Texas Sen. Charles Schwertner voluntarily relinquished a prominent post chairing the Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee after an allegation of sexual harassment. @DanPatrick’s trust in my ability to lead this important committee.”The Senate committee Schwertner will lead is not as prominent as the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services he once oversaw. “No one works harder than the members of the Texas Senate,” Patrick said in a statement. Houston Democrat John Whitmire, the Senate longest-serving member, will continue to chair the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice. Democrat Eddie Lucio Jr. of Brownsville will serve as vice chair of the Senate Finance Committee, a change Patrick announced in December.