INSIDER
Does Dade Phelan have the votes to keep his job as Texas House speaker? It depends on how you count.
Read full article: Does Dade Phelan have the votes to keep his job as Texas House speaker? It depends on how you count.Phelan appears to lack support from the majority of House Republicans, but he could still win with some Democratic support.
Republicans who want to oust Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan unanimously back state Rep. David Cook
Read full article: Republicans who want to oust Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan unanimously back state Rep. David CookFour GOP state representatives suspended their bids to challenge Phelan and 48 Republicans backed Cook, which could threaten Phelan’s shot at a third term.
Majority of incoming Texas House Republicans calls for end to Democratic committee chairs, narrowing path for Phelan
Read full article: Majority of incoming Texas House Republicans calls for end to Democratic committee chairs, narrowing path for PhelanHouse Speaker Dade Phelan has stuck to the tradition of appointing chairs from the opposing party, drawing fierce pushback from the GOP’s right wing.
Texas House committee recommends expelling Rep. Bryan Slaton
Read full article: Texas House committee recommends expelling Rep. Bryan SlatonThe House General Investigating Committee found that Slaton, a Republican from Royse City, engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with a subordinate. The Texas Tribune previously reported on an allegation that he had sex with one of his staff, a woman under 21, and gave her alcohol.
Gus Mutscher, Texas House speaker who resigned amid the Sharpstown stock fraud scandal, dies at 90
Read full article: Gus Mutscher, Texas House speaker who resigned amid the Sharpstown stock fraud scandal, dies at 90Mutscher served as speaker from 1969 to 1972 before leaving amid the pay-for-play scandal, though he was later cleared on appeal.
Texas Legislature 101: Understanding the state government and how it passes laws
Read full article: Texas Legislature 101: Understanding the state government and how it passes lawsHere’s a rundown of how a bill becomes a law, how the Texas Legislature works and the power players who keep things moving under the Pink Dome.
State Rep. Tony Tinderholt, one of the most far-right members of the House, announces he’s running for speaker
Read full article: State Rep. Tony Tinderholt, one of the most far-right members of the House, announces he’s running for speakerThe current speaker, fellow Republican Dade Phelan, is expected to seek the gavel again but has not made an official announcement yet.
House Speaker Dade Phelan announces legislative committee to investigate Uvalde shooting
Read full article: House Speaker Dade Phelan announces legislative committee to investigate Uvalde shootingPhelan said it is an “outrage” that officials still do not have a clear picture of what happened during the shooting. The committee’s findings will inform the House’s legislative response.
A growing number of Texas Republicans want a fourth special session to pass COVID-19 vaccine mandate ban
Read full article: A growing number of Texas Republicans want a fourth special session to pass COVID-19 vaccine mandate banIt remains unclear whether Gov. Greg Abbott — the only official with the power to convene special sessions — will order state lawmakers back to Austin, or what issues he would include on the agenda.
Houston state Rep. Dan Huberty, who spearheaded Texas’ 2019 public education overhaul in Legislature, to retire
Read full article: Houston state Rep. Dan Huberty, who spearheaded Texas’ 2019 public education overhaul in Legislature, to retireEarlier this year, Huberty was arrested in Montgomery County after he crashed his car into another vehicle and failed a sobriety test. The lawmaker was driving home from the Capitol in late April.
Texas House passes proposed new map for chamber’s 150 districts, aiming to protect Republicans’ majority for the next decade
Read full article: Texas House passes proposed new map for chamber’s 150 districts, aiming to protect Republicans’ majority for the next decadeMembers considered more than 50 amendments to the proposed map during debate that began Tuesday and ended early Wednesday. Some of the biggest changes focused on Dallas and Harris counties.
Texas House proposes map that increases Republican strength and decreases Black and Hispanic majority districts
Read full article: Texas House proposes map that increases Republican strength and decreases Black and Hispanic majority districtsThe Texas Legislature is in the midst of its third special session, which is dedicated to redrawing political maps based on the latest census data that showed people of color fueled 95% of Texas’ population growth over the past decade.
State Rep. Chris Paddie, chair of powerful state affairs committee, says he won’t run for reelection
Read full article: State Rep. Chris Paddie, chair of powerful state affairs committee, says he won’t run for reelectionThe news comes less than a month after Paddie, who has represented House District 9 since 2013, announced he would run for reelection.
First draft of Legislature’s map of new State Board of Education districts shores up Republican majority
Read full article: First draft of Legislature’s map of new State Board of Education districts shores up Republican majorityThe Republican-dominated, 15-member board determines what millions of public school students in the state are taught in classrooms.
How the quorum break got broken: Texas Democrats splintered during second session break
Read full article: How the quorum break got broken: Texas Democrats splintered during second session breakFor House Democrats, the story of the second special session is much different from that of the first one. The excitement of leaving the state had worn off, the media spotlight had dimmed and the pressures to return home were mounting.
Texas Legislature adjourns second special session after passing more of Gov. Greg Abbott’s priorities
Read full article: Texas Legislature adjourns second special session after passing more of Gov. Greg Abbott’s prioritiesThe Legislature is expected to return soon for another special session focused on redrawing the state's political maps.
Texas House advances bill to restore money to pay salaries for 2,100 state workers after Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed Legislature funding
Read full article: Texas House advances bill to restore money to pay salaries for 2,100 state workers after Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed Legislature fundingThe legislation will need another stamp of approval in the House before it heads to the Senate, which has not yet debated its version of the proposal on the floor.
Texas House speaker says “absolutely no deals made” to bring back absent Democrats
Read full article: Texas House speaker says “absolutely no deals made” to bring back absent DemocratsNavigating the quorum break, Speaker Dade Phelan said he was especially mindful of not doing “un-repairable harm” to the chamber, indicating that could have happened if members were physically detained and brought to the chamber.
The threats of state troopers arresting House Democrats have yet to materialize
Read full article: The threats of state troopers arresting House Democrats have yet to materializeAs of Wednesday, there were no known cases of absent Democrats being arrested, and the chamber was still shy of the 100 members it needs for a quorum to conduct official business. That is despite its Aug. 10 vote to proceed with the arrests.
Texas law enforcement deputized to round up absent House Democrats, intensifying battle in the lower chamber
Read full article: Texas law enforcement deputized to round up absent House Democrats, intensifying battle in the lower chamberThe Texas Supreme Court cleared the way for absent House Democrats’ civil arrests after it temporarily blocked Harris County judges’ orders protecting them from such a move.
Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan signs 52 arrest warrants for absent Democrats in bid to end chamber’s weekslong stalemate
Read full article: Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan signs 52 arrest warrants for absent Democrats in bid to end chamber’s weekslong stalemateThe Texas Supreme Court earlier Tuesday ruled that Democrats who refuse to show up could be detained by law enforcement and brought back to the state Capitol.
Texas House, just shy of a quorum, issues order to lock members inside the chamber
Read full article: Texas House, just shy of a quorum, issues order to lock members inside the chamberThis is the second time in recent weeks the majority Republican House has voted to issue a “call of the House,” though members on Monday did not offer or debate a motion to enable law enforcement to track down members still missing from the chamber.
Texas Supreme Court denies Democrats’ request to overturn Gov. Greg Abbott’s veto of Legislature’s funding
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court denies Democrats’ request to overturn Gov. Greg Abbott’s veto of Legislature’s fundingAbbott vetoed a section of the state budget that funds the Legislature — including salaries and benefits of 2,100 employees — as punishment for House Democrats' May walkout to prevent passage of a controversial voting bill.
Lawmaker relationships fray as Texas Democrats’ quorum bust to block voting bill drags on
Read full article: Lawmaker relationships fray as Texas Democrats’ quorum bust to block voting bill drags on“There’s been some significant — if not irreparable — damage to the relationships within the body,” said state Rep. Justin Holland, R-Rockwall.
GOP leaders say they’ve secured an extra month of funding for Texas Legislature to plug money vetoed by Gov. Greg Abbott
Read full article: GOP leaders say they’ve secured an extra month of funding for Texas Legislature to plug money vetoed by Gov. Greg AbbottFunds amounting to at least $12.6 million will be transferred from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to the Senate, the House, and legislative agencies such as the LBB, the Legislative Council and the Legislative Reference Library.
First special legislative session ends without any bills passed and Democrats still in D.C.
Read full article: First special legislative session ends without any bills passed and Democrats still in D.C.House Democrats are still camped out in the nation’s capital hinting that many may not return to Austin immediately as the next overtime round starts Saturday.
With time running out, Texas Legislature still at impasse on GOP elections bill
Read full article: With time running out, Texas Legislature still at impasse on GOP elections billRepublicans believe they have already compromised enough on the legislation, while Democrats are distrustful of both the policy driving the bill and their GOP colleagues after seeing how they have managed the process around the proposal so far.
A tale of two capital cities: Texas Democrats continue fight for voting rights in Washington as Republicans push them to return
Read full article: A tale of two capital cities: Texas Democrats continue fight for voting rights in Washington as Republicans push them to returnBoth Republicans in Austin and Democrats in D.C. have engaged in the political drama over the past two weeks, with the two camps battling it out on cable news interviews and social media over the quorum bust and who is to blame for it.
Beto O’Rourke group gives $600,000 to Texas House Democrats’ stay in Washington, D.C.
Read full article: Beto O’Rourke group gives $600,000 to Texas House Democrats’ stay in Washington, D.C.Members left Texas about 10 days ago and have said they plan to stay out of state until after the special session ends Aug. 6.
Sixth Texas Democrat in Washington, D.C., tests positive for COVID-19
Read full article: Sixth Texas Democrat in Washington, D.C., tests positive for COVID-19The Texas House Democratic Caucus, which has said it plans to not identify lawmakers who test positive, has started additional precautionary measures, such as providing daily rapid tests.
Deploy law enforcement? Call another special session? Texas GOP mulls options for elections bill after Democrats leave the state
Read full article: Deploy law enforcement? Call another special session? Texas GOP mulls options for elections bill after Democrats leave the stateA number of House Republicans indicated that they would support what’s known as a call of the House, a procedural move that would allow law enforcement to track down lawmakers who have already fled the chamber.
Texas House attempting to reset on contentious elections bill with new author, new committee in special session
Read full article: Texas House attempting to reset on contentious elections bill with new author, new committee in special sessionThe lower chamber, led by House Speaker Dade Phelan, is trying to start off on a new foot with a controversial election bill that blew up during the regular session.
Texas House Democrats and legislative staffers take Gov. Greg Abbott to court for defunding Legislature
Read full article: Texas House Democrats and legislative staffers take Gov. Greg Abbott to court for defunding LegislatureThe governor had vowed to veto the Legislature’s funding in the final hours of the regular legislative session in May after House Democrats broke quorum and left the chamber to prevent passage of a controversial elections bill.
Effort to curb governors' pandemic emergency powers falls short at Texas Legislature
Read full article: Effort to curb governors' pandemic emergency powers falls short at Texas LegislatureThe proposal’s low bill number signaled it was a priority of new House Speaker Dade Phelan, a Beaumont Republican who referred to the legislation as “the House’s blueprint for pandemic response.”
Speaker Dade Phelan once criticized anti-LGBTQ efforts. Now he’s signaling support for a bill targeting transgender Texans.
Read full article: Speaker Dade Phelan once criticized anti-LGBTQ efforts. Now he’s signaling support for a bill targeting transgender Texans.Democrats supported Phelan for House speaker, reassured he would avoid controversial social issues that target LGBTQ Texans. They say they’re disappointed he is now signaling support for bill targeting transgender student athletes.