Texas Senate approves bill restricting participation of transgender college athletes
The bill requires college athletes to compete on sports teams based on their sex assigned at birth, regardless of their gender identity. It now heads to the Texas House, where Republican lawmakers have expressed their support for similar legislation.
communityimpact.comTexas Senate scales back proposed restrictions on puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender kids
Senate Bill 14 would now allow trans children who are already receiving some transition-related treatments to continue getting that care. The Senate gave initial approval to the reworked legislation Wednesday.
Dueling property tax cut packages would reduce Texansโ tax bills by more than $16 billion โ Houston Public Media
Thereโs broad, bipartisan support in the Texas Legislature for using the stateโs record surplus to cut taxes, but the Senate and House are at odds on how to accomplish that goal.
houstonpublicmedia.orgTexas Senate approves bill restricting which college sports teams transgender athletes can join
The Republican-controlled Texas Senate gave preliminary approval to a bill Tuesday that would ban transgender athletes from participating in university womenโs sports.[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]
sanmarcosrecord.comTexas committee moves forward on bans on public library 'Drag Queen Story Hour,' drag shows with kids present
Texas state lawmakers are moving forward on two bills banning drag performances in the presence of minors and in public, and now the proposed laws are heading to the senate floor.
foxnews.comSenate passes tax cut bills with goal of lowering taxes, benefiting schools
The Texas Senate last week unanimously approved a $16.5 billion package to lower property taxes and inject billions of dollars into public schools.[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] Opinions San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]
sanmarcosrecord.comTexas Senate committee advances bills restricting certain drag shows
Proposed legislation from Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, would criminalize explicit performances where children are present and strip libraries of state funding for hosting any event featuring performers in drag. Critics say the bill is discriminatory and unconstitutional.
House panel advances new Texas budget with property tax cuts, teacher pay raises
The proposal recommends spending billions on programs including property tax cuts, teacher pay raises, mental health services and border security. It leaves out requests for pay raises for retired state employees and funding for rent relief and childcare programs.
Houston fire fighters arbitration bill heads to Texas Senate floor after committee approval โ Houston Public Media
Senate Bill 736 requires that an independent and neutral third party be appointed to be an arbitrator when negotiations between the city and the firefighters break down.
houstonpublicmedia.orgSenate passes bill opening door for prosecutors to charge fentanyl distributors with murder
The Texas Senate on Wednesday unanimously passed a key bill of the Legislatureโs war on opioids that would increase the penalties related to the sale and production of fentanyl, by classifying overdoses from the drug as โpoisonings.โ[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]
sanmarcosrecord.comThe Texas House and Senate differ on how to cut property taxes. Hereโs what their proposals say.
Cuts to school property tax bills. Bigger tax benefits for homeowners. A controversial idea to limit property tax growth. Hereโs what you need to know about the brewing property tax debate at the Texas Legislature.
Senate unanimously passes a bill defining fentanyl poisoning as murder โ Houston Public Media
Houston Senator Joan Huffman authored Senate Bill 645, which would make the manufacture and delivery of less than 1 gram of fentanyl a third degree felony. The crime would rise to a second degree felony if a person dies from an overdose.
houstonpublicmedia.orgTexas families to get tax dollars to send students to private school in proposed โparental rightsโ bill
A sweeping education bill introduced in the Texas Senate late Friday would allow families to use taxpayer money to send their children to private schools, establish new opportunities for parents to review instruction material and impose new rules on how gender and sexual orientation is taught in all grades.[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News, San Marcos
sanmarcosrecord.comTexas families would get $8,000 in tax dollars to send students to private school in sweeping โparental rightsโ bill backed by Lt. Gov.
The bill, which has the blessing of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, will create new rules on how gender and sexual orientation is taught. It will face a tougher test in the House.
Texas Republicans have filed dozens of bills affecting LGBTQ people. Hereโs what theyโd do.
Texas lawmakers this year are debating whether to block transgender kidsโ access to transition-related health care, classify businesses that host drag shows as sexually oriented establishments and limit public school lessons on sexuality and gender identity.
Texas Education Agency would have new power to enforce school safety plans under Senate bill
The Texas Senate on Friday unveiled its priority school safety bill that would create a safety and security department housed in the Texas Education Agency. And the legislation would give the education commissioner more direct power to compel school districts to establish safety protocols for active-shooter situations.[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News,
sanmarcosrecord.comTexas senators, facing criticism, soften proposed ban on Chinese purchases of land โ Houston Public Media
The measure, endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott, originally would have banned citizens of China, Iran, Russia or North Korea from buying land in Texas. Under a new version considered Thursday, the ban wouldnโt apply to dual citizens or lawful permanent residents.
houstonpublicmedia.orgTexas Houseโs property tax bill calls for $17 billion in cuts, tighter appraisal cap
Texas House Speaker Dade Phelanโs main property tax proposal unveiled Thursday calls for $17 billion in cuts and a stricter cap on how much school district taxes can go up each year โ setting up a stark divide between the Texas Legislatureโs two chambers on how to provide tax relief to property owners this session.[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News, San
sanmarcosrecord.comTexas legislative leaders โ Dan Patrick, Dade Phelan โ jab each otherโs priorities in dueling speeches
During dueling speeches to a conservative think tank in Austin, state House Speaker Dade Phelan and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who have a history of animus, split over property tax relief, criminal justice reform and school choice.
Texas senators, facing criticism, soften proposed ban on Chinese purchases of land
The measure, endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott, originally would have banned citizens of China, Iran, Russia or North Korea from buying land in Texas. Under a new version considered Thursday, the ban wouldnโt apply to dual citizens or lawful permanent residents.
A bill making illegal voting a felony, again, advances in the Texas Senate โ Houston Public Media
Senate Bill 2 would make illegal voting an offense punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Itโs one of several election-related bills before the Texas Legislature, several of which appear squarely aimed at Harris County.
houstonpublicmedia.orgTexas revisits making illegal voting a felony
Republican leaders in the Texas Senate are intent on raising the penalty for voting illegally from a misdemeanor to a second-degree felony, despite the lack of evidence of widespread voter fraud in Texas. The effort comes nearly two years after the Legislature passed a sweeping voting bill, Senate Bill 1, that lowered the penalties for such crimes to a misdemeanor โ and then
sanmarcosrecord.comGov. Greg Abbott promises to be โheavily involvedโ in push for education savings accounts
In an interview with the Tribune, the governor also backed criminalizing some health care treatments for transgender kids and shrugged off the idea that heโs in a conservative policy rivalry with Ron DeSantis.
New family and child welfare commissioner foreshadows change as agency plans to outsource case management
Department of Family and Protective Services Commissioner Stephanie Muth told lawmakers Friday the agency will require a different set of skills from its employees as it changes how foster childrenโs cases are managed.
Wanna bet? Texas Legislature to reconsider legalizing casinos and sports betting
Gambling legalization advocates in Texas are going all in again this legislative session, confident that they have built more support since their efforts came up far short in 2021.The push is still an[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]
sanmarcosrecord.comLocal officials speak out against โracistโ bill banning citizens, businesses from China, Iran, North Korea, Russia from purchasing land in Texas
Many officials are speaking out against the recently filed Texas Senate Bill 147, which would prohibit citizens and business entities from China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from purchasing land within the state of Texas.
Texas senators draw lots to determine how long their terms will be
After redistricting, the state constitution requires senators to draw lots to determine which half of the chamber will have four-year terms and which will have two-year terms. This keeps Senate district elections staggered every two years for the rest of the decade.
Gov. Greg Abbott says he will nominate retiring state Sen. Jane Nelson to be secretary of state โ Houston Public Media
Nelson planned to retire from the Senate after 30 years in office. But her nomination will give Abbott a clearer path to having his nominee confirmed by the Senate after his last three have gone unconfirmed.
houstonpublicmedia.orgGov. Greg Abbott says he will nominate retiring state Sen. Jane Nelson to be secretary of state โ Houston Public Media
Nelson planned to retire from the Senate after 30 years in office. But her nomination will give Abbott a clearer path to having his nominee confirmed by the Senate after his last three have gone unconfirmed.
houstonpublicmedia.orgJohn Scott, Texasโ top elections official, to step down at end of year
Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Scott as secretary of state in October 2021, and he served in an interim capacity pending Senate confirmation. He is stepping down right before the legislative session in which his appointment would have come up for debate.
Texas Republicans in tight races open to rape and incest exceptions to abortion ban
In some battleground state legislative races, Republicans have been making overtures to those who believe the ban as too extreme. They have said they are open to revising the ban to include the exceptions โ and even voiced confidence that the Legislature will do so when it reconvenes in January.
Letters: Error noted
In the Sept. 22 editorial, โLet them speak,โ there was one error we would like to have corrected. It was the Democratic candidate for Board of Education District 2 who called in sick and the Republican candidate for Texas Senate District 20 who called in sick, as he contracted COVID. First of all, the Democrats held the hearings because the Republicans refused to do so. Strays will continue to be a problem until the county steps up to increase the availability of affordable vet services. In the meantime, the city of Mission needs to improve the conditions and staffing at the Mission PAWS shelter.
myrgv.comU.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia proposes legislation to grant adequate breaks for construction workers โ Houston Public Media
U.S. congresswoman Sylvia Garcia from Houston has proposed legislation that would require a minimum amount of breaks for construction workers, after similar legislation failed to pass through the Texas Senate in 2017.
houstonpublicmedia.orgLamantia, Stapleton-Barrera in dead heat for state senate seat
In Hidalgo County, Lamantia earned 4,754 votes, or 49.37%, over Stapleton-Barrera, Alex Dominguez and Salomon Torres. Dominguez earned 1,711 votes in Hidalgo County, or 17.77%, while Stapleton-Barrera earned 2,365 votes and Torres earned 800 votes. In the Republican race for State Senate District 27, Adam Hinojosa earned 51.53% of the vote with 12,748 votes to Raul Torresโ 5,419 and Isreal Salinasโ 2,177. The Republican ticket for State Senate District 20 saw โโWestley Wright with a commanding lead over Johnny Partain with 74.45% of the vote, 10,413 votes to 3,701. In Hidalgo County, Wright took 4,484 total votes over Partainโs 2,512 votes.
myrgv.comFirst Texas redistricting challenge set to be heard in federal court โ Houston Public Media
The lawsuit alleges a GOP-drawn map of Texas Senate districts dilutes the voting power of minorities in North Texas. Attorneys say it could be a preview of whatโs to come in the larger legal battle facing the stateโs controversial new political boundaries.
houstonpublicmedia.orgZaffrini's Senate District 21 remains in Hays County
Hays County will continue to be a part of Senate District 21, represented by Senator Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo following the completion of the redistricting process for the Congressional, Texas Senate, Texas House and State Board of Education maps.[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]
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