Press "Enter" to skip to content

Posts tagged as “legislation”

Cornyn’s Senate Panel drafts new limited Gun Safety laws

June 16, 2022

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), along with Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Cory Booker (D- N.J.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Lindsey Graham (RS.C.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Angus King (I-Maine), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) issued the following statement:

“Today, we are announcing a commonsense, bipartisan proposal to protect America’s children, keep our schools safe, and reduce the threat of violence across our country. Families are scared, and it is our duty to come together and get something done that will help restore their sense of safety and security in their communities. Our plan increases needed mental health resources, improves school safety and support for students, and helps ensure dangerous criminals and those who are adjudicated as mentally ill can’t purchase weapons. Most importantly, our plan saves lives while also protecting the constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans. We look forward to earning broad, bipartisan support and passing our commonsense proposal into law.”

The proposal includes:

Continue reading...Cornyn’s Senate Panel drafts new limited Gun Safety laws

Rep. Sylvia Garcia secures $10mil for Projects in Houston, South Houston, Galena Park and Jacinto City

April 7, 2022

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) voted to pass the historic $1.5 trillion Bipartisan Omnibus Appropriations Bill. As part of the package, 9 Community Project Funding (CPF) requests led by Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia were secured. The bill’s transformative investment will help Texas families with cost-of-living increases, good-paying jobs, and local community projects.

“I was proud to secure nearly $10,200,000 in Community Project Funding for Houstonians across our community,” said Congresswoman Garcia. “These critical funds will invest in local neighborhoods, strengthen communities, and foster economic development for Texans. This will improve our district and benefit all district residents for years to come.”

The legislation includes the following Community Project Funding secured by Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia:

Continue reading...Rep. Sylvia Garcia secures $10mil for Projects in Houston, South Houston, Galena Park and Jacinto City

Voting Nov. 2 for TX Amendments

October 28, 2021

HARRIS COUNTY – Voting will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 2 for a ballot that has attracted little interest among early voters.

The ballot contains 8 propositions to amend the state constitution, but most feel these are minor issues, and voter turnout is low.

The amendments deal with the following issues: taxes, gambling, bond issues, religious services, healthcare, constitutional rights, and veterans services.

Continue reading...Voting Nov. 2 for TX Amendments

Abbott announces 3rd Special Session, agenda

September 30, 2021
(Photo by Lynda M. Gonzalez-Pool/Getty Images)

AUSTIN – Governor Abbott today issued a proclamation announcing that he will convene a third special legislative session at 10 a.m. on Monday, September 20, 2021. The proclamation identifies 5 agenda items for the third Special Session.

“The Texas Legislature now has the opportunity to redraw legislative and congressional districts in accordance with the new census numbers,” said Governor Abbott. “In addition to redistricting, there are still issues remaining that are critical to building a stronger and brighter future for all Texans.”

Agenda items for the third Special Session will include:

Continue reading...Abbott announces 3rd Special Session, agenda

Abbott signs Briscoe Cain legislation

September 16, 2021
Local State Representative Briscoe Cain, right, authored Censorship bill with Senator Bryan Hughes, left. At center, Governor Abbott displays signed bill.

Law Protects Texans From Wrongful Social Media Censorship

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott today signed House Bill 20 into law, which protects Texans from wrongful censorship on social media platforms. The Governor was joined for the bill signing by Senators Bryan Hughes and Representative Briscoe Cain, the bill’s authors, as well as Senators Charles Perry, Dawn Buckingham, and Angela Paxton. The Governor named social media censorship legislation as an agenda item for the second special legislative session in August.

Continue reading...Abbott signs Briscoe Cain legislation

Voter Regulations bill passes, Abbott ready to sign controversial legislation

September 2, 2021

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott today issued a statement following the passage of Senate Bill 1, which Republicans say will protect the integrity of elections in Texas:

“Protecting the integrity of our elections is critical in the state of Texas, which is why I made election integrity an emergency item during the 87th Legislative Session. I thank Senator Brian Hughes, Representative Andrew Murr, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and Speaker Dade Phelan for stepping up to ensure that this bill made it to the finish line during the second special session. Senate Bill 1 will solidify trust and confidence in the outcome of our elections by making it easier to vote and harder to cheat. I look forward to signing Senate Bill 1 into law, ensuring election integrity in Texas.”

Senate Bill 1 creates uniform statewide voting hours, maintains and expands voting access for registered voters that need assistance, prohibits drive-through voting, and authorizes poll watchers to observe more aspects of the election process. The bill also bans and penalizes the distribution of unsolicited applications for mail-in ballots and gives voters with a defective mail-in ballot the opportunity to correct the defect.

UPDATE ON BILLS MOVING THROUGH THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE DURING THE SPECIAL SESSION

Report by State Representative Mayes Middleton

Continue reading...Voter Regulations bill passes, Abbott ready to sign controversial legislation

Special Election For Constitutional Amendments

September 2, 2021

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott has issued a proclamation setting Tuesday, November 2, 2021 as the special election day for eight proposed constitutional amendments in Texas. The eight proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot are:

PROPOSITION 1: The constitutional amendment authorizing the professional sports team charitable foundations of organizations sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association or the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association to conduct charitable raffles at rodeo venues.

PROPOSITION 2: The constitutional amendment authorizing a county to finance the development or redevelopment of transportation or infrastructure in unproductive, underdeveloped, or blighted areas in the county.

PROPOSITION 3: The constitutional amendment to prohibit this state or a political subdivision of this state from prohibiting or limiting religious services of religious organizations.

Continue reading...Special Election For Constitutional Amendments

Walle’s return from DC allows Quorum in Legislature

August 26, 2021
Texas Democratic Representatives Armando Walle, and Ana Hernandez, seen above, and Garnet Coleman broke ranks with the group of missing Legislators, and returned to Austin from DC. This allowed the Republican controlled House to declare a Quorum for the first time in over a month.

ALDINE – State Representative Armando Walle and two other Democratic legislators, Ana Hernandez and Garnet Coleman, returned from their hiatus in Washington to the state Capitol in Austin last week. Their absence, along with about 50 others, had kept the Texas House from having a quorum and unable to pass controversial Voter Restriction legislation that the Democrats said would disenfranchise many minority voters.

However, with all Republicans plus these three Democrats and a few others who never left, the Speaker of the House Dade Phelan declared they had a Quorum, and would proceed to act on legislation.

The three returning Democrats received a great deal of criticism for allowing this to happen, from labor unions, minority voter groups, and their colleagues that were still in Washington.

Walle’s office issued the following statement in defense of the return:

Continue reading...Walle’s return from DC allows Quorum in Legislature

State Senator Alvarado filibusters to block Voter Restriction bill

August 19, 2021
Senator Carol Alvarado speaking at the Texas Legislature during her 15-hour filibuster.

Texas Senate outlasts 15-hour filibuster by Senator Carol Alvarado to pass GOP voting restrictions bill

AUSTIN, Texas — Since before sunset Wednesday, state Sen. Carol Alvarado had been on her feet speaking, not allowed to sit or lean against her desk, on the Senate floor.

Unable to take bathroom breaks or drink water, she had worn a back brace, eyeglasses and running shoes and talked slowly behind a desk stacked with papers and with a microphone in her hand as she mounted a 15-hour filibuster. The target of her efforts was Senate Bill 1, the GOP’s priority bill that would place new restrictions on voting that many opponents say would disproportionately suppress ballots from voters of color and disabled voters.

But ultimately, her speaking marathon could only delay the passage of the bill in the Republican-controlled Senate. Shortly after she finally stepped away from her desk around 9 a.m., the Senate voted to advance the measure on a 18-11 party-line vote.

With her Democratic colleagues surrounding her desk on the Senate floor after her marathon, Alvarado invoked her Houston constituents – the voters who took advantage of the voting options SB 1 would ban – and asked why they should not be allowed as many opportunities to vote as the county was willing to offer.

Continue reading...State Senator Alvarado filibusters to block Voter Restriction bill

Abbott calls Second Special Session of the Legislature

August 12, 2021

Democrats remain away in DC

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott today issued a proclamation announcing that he will convene a second special legislative session at 12:00 p.m. on August 7, 2021. The proclamation identifies 17 agenda items for the second Special Session.

“The Texas Legislature achieved a great deal during the 87th Legislative Session, and they have a responsibility to finish the work that was started,” said Governor Abbott. “I will continue to call special session after special session to reform our broken bail system, uphold election integrity, and pass other important items that Texans demand and deserve. Passing these Special Session agenda items will chart a course towards a stronger and brighter future for the Lone Star State.” Agenda items for the second Special Session will include:

Continue reading...Abbott calls Second Special Session of the Legislature