Eighty-seventh Texas Legislature

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Eighty-seventh Texas Legislature
←86th 88th→
Seal of the State of Texas
The Seal of Texas
Overview
Legislative bodyTexas State Legislature
JurisdictionTexas
TermJanuary 12, 2021 –
May 31, 2021
Election2020 General Election
Senate
Members31
President of the SenateDan Patrick (R)
President pro temporeBrian Birdwell
(R–22)
(regular session)
* Donna Campbell
(R–25)
(special session)
Party controlRepublican
House of Representatives
Members150
SpeakerDade Phelan (R–21)
Speaker Pro TemporeJoe Moody (D–78)
(January 12 - July 15)
* Vacant
(July 15 - present)
Party controlRepublican
Sessions
1stJuly 8, 2021 – August 6, 2021
2ndAugust 7, 2021 –

The Eighty-seventh Texas Legislature was the recent meeting of the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Texas, composed of the Texas Senate and the Texas House of Representatives. The Texas State Legislature met in Austin, Texas, from January 12, 2021, to May 31, 2021.[1] Governor Greg Abbott has announced two special legislative sessions during summer 2021.[2][3][4]

All seats in the state house and 16 seats in the state senate were up for election in November 2020. The Republican Party preserved their majority in both chambers.

Major events[]

  • March 4, 2020 – present: COVID-19 pandemic in Texas.
  • January 12, 2021: Legislature convened at noon (CST).
  • February 10, 2021 – February 27, 2021: 2021 Texas power crisis.[5]
  • March 2, 2021: Greg Abbott announced the reopening of Texas businesses after nearly a year of various shutdowns and restrictions to quell the spread of COVID-19.[6]
  • May 30, 2021: House Democrats broke quorum, first time since 2003.[7][8]
  • May 31, 2021: Legislature adjourns.[9]
  • June 30, 2021: Greg Abbott announced he will convene a special legislative session on July 8.[2]
  • July 8, 2021: 87th Legislature 1st Called Session convened at 10:00 a.m. (CST).
  • July 12, 2021: House Democrats fled to Washington, D.C., to break quorum, when the house convenes for the following day.[10][11]
  • July 13, 2021: The House lacks quorum. Will Metcalf (R) moved for a call of the house, which later passed.
  • July 15, 2021: House Speaker Dade Phelan stripped Joe Moody from the Speaker Pro Tempore leadership position as house democrats continue to break quorum.[12]
  • August 5, 2021: Governor Abbott announced he will convene a second special legislative session on August 7.[4]
  • August 6, 2021: Legislature adjourns 1st special session.
  • August 7, 2021: 87th Legislature 2nd Called Session convened at 12:00 p.m. (CST). The House continues to lack quorum, as several Democrats are still in Washington, D.C..
  • August 19, 2021: Texas House makes quorum with 99 representatives present.[13]

Major legislation[]

Texas State Capitol (February 15, 2021), after a winter storm.

Enacted[]

  • House bills
    • HB 5: The measure would aim to incentivize the expansion of broadband internet access to areas across the state through the creation of the State Broadband Development Office. The office would award grants, low-interest loans and other incentives to build out broadband access.[14]
    • HB 1239: The measure would ban public officials from closing churches or other places of worship during a disaster declaration.[15]
    • HB 1280: The measure would ban abortion in Texas if Roe v. Wade were overturned by the Supreme Court of the United States.[16]
    • HB 1927 (Constitutional carry): The measure would allow people to carry handguns in Texas without a concealed handgun license.[17]
    • HB 3979: The bill would ban the teaching of critical race theory in Texas schools and limit what public school students can be taught about the United States’ history of subjugating people of color.[18]
  • Senate bills
    • SB 3: The legislation would create a statewide emergency system to alert Texans if power outages are expected and require power generation companies to better prepare their facilities to withstand extreme weather.[19]
    • SB 4: The bill would require any professional sports teams with contracts with the state government to play the national anthem before the start of a game.[20]
    • SB 8 (Nickname: "Fetal Heartbeat bill"): The measure would allow private citizens to sue abortion providers after a fetal heartbeat has been detected. Banning the procedure as early as six weeks into a pregnancy.[21]

Proposed (but not enacted)[]

  • House bills
    • HB 3: The measure would give lawmakers more oversight of the governor’s emergency powers during a pandemic and carves out future pandemics from how the state responds to other disasters, like hurricanes.
    • HB 20: The legislation would keep more people accused or previously convicted of violent crimes in jail before trial unless they can post cash bonds.
  • Senate bills
    • SB 7: A change on the state election process; election integrity and security, including by preventing fraud in the conduct of elections in this state; increasing criminal penalties; creating criminal offenses.
    • SB 10: The bill would ban local governments from using taxpayer dollars to lobby the state.
    • SB 12: The bill would prohibit social media companies with at least 100 million monthly users from blocking, banning, demonetizing or discriminating against users based on their viewpoint or their location within the state.
    • SB 29: The bill would prevent transgender Texas children from joining school sports teams that match their gender identity.
    • SB 1311: The measure would prohibit health care providers and physicians from performing gender-confirmation surgery or prescribing, administering or supplying puberty blockers or hormone treatment to anyone younger than 18.
    • SB 1529: The measure would create a new statewide court of appeals that would hear cases that have statewide significance — including ones that challenge state laws or the Constitution, or when the state or its agencies are sued.

Major resolutions adopted[]

  • SR 2: Reduced the supermajority usually needed to bring up a bill in the Senate to 18 out of 31 (previously it was set at 19).[22]

Party summary[]

Senate[]

  • Senate membership
  • 87th Texas Senate.svg

Affiliation Party
(shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total Vacant
Democratic Republican
End of previous legislature 12 19 31 0
Begin (January 12, 2021) 13 18 31 0
Latest voting share 41.9% 58.1%  

Leadership[]

  1. Brian Birdwell (R) (Regular session, January 12 - May 31)
  2. Donna Campbell (R) (1st Called Session, July 8 - )

Members[]

House of Representatives[]

  • House membership
  • Texas House Composition 2021.svg

Affiliation Party
(shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total Vacant
Democratic Republican
End of previous legislature 67 83 150 0
Begin (January 12, 2021) 67 82 149 1
March 9, 2021[a] 67 83 150 0
July 30, 2021[25] 67 82 149 1
August 19, 2021[26] 66 82 148 2
Latest voting share 44.6% 55.4%  

Leadership[]

  1. Joe Moody (D) (January 12 - July 15)[12]
  2. TBD

Members[]

Changes in membership[]

House of Representatives[]

District Vacator Reason for change Successor Date of successor's formal installation
District 68 Vacant Former member Drew Springer (R) was elected for the District 30 of the Senate in a special election.
A special election for the district was held on January 23, 2021.[28]
* Out of 9,139 votes cast, no candidate received 50% of the votes to win the election.[29]
A runoff election was held to determine a winner of the top two candidates of the January election.[30] 		David Spiller (R) March 9, 2021[27] A special election will be held on a later date, yet to be determined.
District 10 Jake Ellzey (R) Former member Jake Ellzey (R) was elected for the Texas's 6th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives in a special election.[31]
A special election for the district will be held on August 31, 2021.[25]
* Out of 11,334 votes cast, no candidate received 50% of the votes to win the election.[32]
A runoff election will be held to determine a winner of the top two candidates of the August election. 		TBD TBD
District 118 Leo Pacheco (D) Former member Leo Pacheco (D) resigned to teach teach public administration at San Antonio College.[26]
A special election for the district will be held on a later date, that is yet to be determined. 		TBD TBD

Committees[]

Listed by chamber and then alphabetically by committee name, including chair and vice-chair.

Senate[]

Committee Chair Vice-Chair
Administration Charles Schwertner (R-5) Nathan Johnson (D-16)
Business & Commerce Kelly Hancock (R-9) Robert Nichols (R-3)
Constitutional Issues (Special) [b] Charles Schwertner (R-5) Brian Birdwell (R-22)
Criminal Justice John Whitmire (D-15) Joan Huffman (R-17)
Education Larry Taylor (R-11) Eddie Lucio Jr. (D-27)
Finance Jane Nelson (R-12) Eddie Lucio Jr. (D-27)
Future of College Sports in Texas (Select) [c] Jane Nelson (R-12) Brandon Creighton (R-4)
Health & Human Services Lois Kolkhorst (R-18) Charles Perry (R-28)
Higher Education Brandon Creighton (R-4) Royce West (D-23)
Jurisprudence Joan Huffman (R-17) Juan Hinojosa (D-20)
Local Government Paul Bettencourt (R-7) Jose Menendez (D-26)
Natural Resources & Economic Development Brian Birdwell (R-22) Judith Zaffirini (D-21)
Nominations Dawn Buckingham (R-24) Angela Paxton (R-8)
Ports (Select) Brandon Creighton (R-4) Carol Alvarado (D-6)
Redistricting (Special) Joan Huffman (R-17) Juan Hinojosa (D-20)
State Affairs Bryan Hughes (R-1) Brian Birdwell (R-22)
Transportation Robert Nichols (R-3) Kel Seliger (R-31)
Veteran Affairs & Border Security Donna Campbell (R-25) Bob Hall (R-2)
Water, Agriculture & Rural Affairs Charles Perry (R-28) Drew Springer (R-30)

House[]

Committee Chair Vice-Chair
Agriculture & Livestock DeWayne Burns (R-58) Charles Anderson (R-56)
Appropriations Greg Bonnen (R-24) Mary González (D-75)
Appropriations - S/C on Article II Giovanni Capriglione (R-98) Toni Rose (D-110)
Appropriations - S/C on Article III Terry Wilson (R-20) Erin Zwiener (D-45)
Appropriations - S/C on Articles I, IV & V Mary González (D-75) Matt Schaefer (R-6)
Appropriations - S/C on Articles VI, VII & VIII Armando Walle (D-140) Cecil Bell (R-3)
Approps. - S/C on Strategic Fiscal Rev. & Fed. Relief Funds Cecil Bell Jr. (R-3) Ina Minjarez (D-124)
Business & Industry Chris Turner (D-101) Cole Hefner (D-5)
Calendars Dustin Burrows (R-83) Joe Moody (D-78)
Constitutional Rights & Remedies (select) [d] Trent Ashby (R-57) Senfronia Thompson (D-141)
Corrections Andrew Murr (R-53) Alma Allen (D-131)
County Affairs Garnet Coleman (D-147) Lynn Stucky (R-64)
Criminal Jurisprudence Nicole Collier (D-95) Keith Bell (R-4)
Culture, Recreation & Tourism Ken King (R-88) Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (D-120)
Defense & Veterans' Affairs Richard Raymond (D-42) Brad Buckley (R-54)
Elections Briscoe Cain (R-128) Jessica González (D-104)
Energy Resources Craig Goldman (R-97) Abel Herrero (D-34)
Environmental Regulation Brooks Landgraf (R-81) Alex Dominguez (D-37)
General Investigating Matt Krause (R-93) Victoria Neave (D-107)
Higher Education Jim Murphy (R-133) Leo Pacheco (D-118) (January 12 - August 19, 2021)
Vacant (August 19 - present)
Homeland Security & Public Safety James White (R-19) Rhetta Bowers (D-113)
House Administration Will Metcalf (R-16) Sheryl Cole (D-46)
Human Services James Frank (R-69) Gina Hinojosa (D-49)
Insurance Tom Oliverson (R-130) Hubert Vo (D-149)
International Relations & Economic Development Angie Chen Button (R-112) Christina Morales (D-145)
Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Jeff Leach (R-67) Yvonne Davis (D-111)
Juvenile Justice & Family Issues Victoria Neave (D-107) Valoree Swanson (R-150)
Land & Resource Management Joe Deshotel (D-22) Ben Leman (R-13)
Licensing & Administrative Procedures Senfronia Thompson (D-141) John Kuempel (R-44)
Local & Consent Calendars Charlie Geren (R-99) Alex Dominguez (D-37)
Natural Resources Tracy King (D-80) Cody Harris (R-8)
Pensions, Investments & Financial Services Rafael Anchia (D-103) Tan Parker (R-63)
Public Education Harold Dutton Jr. (D-142) J. M. Lozano (R-43)
Public Health Stephanie Klick (R-91) Robert Guerra (politician) (D-41)
Redistricting Todd Ames Hunter (R-32) Toni Rose (D-110)
Resolutions Calendars Ryan Guillen (D-31) Steve Toth (R-15)
State Affairs Chris Paddie (R-9) Ana Hernandez (D-143)
Transportation Terry Canales (D-40) Ed Thompson (R-29)
Urban Affairs Philip Cortez (D-117) Justin Holland (R-33)
Ways & Means Morgan Meyer (R-108) Shawn Thierry (D-146)

Notes[]

  1. ^ In District 68: The term began with vacant until David Spiller was declared the winner after a runoff election.[23][24]
  2. ^ The committee was created to hear the House Bill 1927, the Constitutional carry bill.
  3. ^ The committee was created to study the athletic and economic impact of the University of Texas at Austin departure from the Big 12 Conference.[33]
  4. ^ The committee was created to hear issues for the first special session.

References[]

  1. ^ Santos, Patty (January 5, 2021). "... Texas Legislature expected to tackle redistricting, public safety and budget issues". KSAT-TV. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Keith Allen and Ashley Killough (June 22, 2021). "Texas governor announces special session of state legislature". CNN. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  3. ^ Pollock, Cassandra (June 22, 2021). "Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sets July 8 date for special legislative session on voting bill, other issues". Texas Tribune. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Dianne Gallagher and Rachel Janfaza (August 5, 2021). "Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announces second special session of state legislature". CNN. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  5. ^ Travis Caldwell, Keith Allen and Eric Levenson. "The Texas power grid is improving. But days of outages have caused heat, water and food shortages". CNN. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
  6. ^ Billy Gates, Russell Falcon, Wes Rapaport, Maggie Glynn. "'Time to open Texas 100%': Gov. Greg Abbott announces businesses that want to open can". KXAN. Retrieved 2021-06-01.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Eric Bradner and Dianne Gallagher (May 31, 2021). "Texas Democrats leave House floor, effectively blocking passage of restrictive voting bill for now". CNN. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  8. ^ Bud Kennedy (June 1, 2021). "2003: The last time Texas Democrats broke quorum in the House, they fled to Oklahoma". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  9. ^ Cassandra Pollock and Shawn Mulcahy. "With feelings raw over voting bill's demise, Texas Legislature wraps up — for now". Texas Tribune. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
  10. ^ Timm, Jane C. (July 12, 2021). "Texas Democrats flee state in effort to block GOP-backed voting restrictions". NBC News. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  11. ^ Nicole Cobler, Chuck Lindell, John C. Moritz. "Texas Democrats leave state to block GOP voting bill in special session". Austin American Statesman.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b Anthony Jackson. "El Paso Democrat Joe Moody stripped of leadership position as Texas House speaker pro tem". El Paso Times. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  13. ^ James Barrán. "After a nearly six-week exodus over GOP voting bill, enough Democrats return to Texas House to resume work". Texas Tribune.
  14. ^ Burleigh, Dawn. House Bill 5, expanding broadband service, signed by Governor, The Orange Leader, June 15, 2021.
  15. ^ Keene, Houston. Abbott signs religious freedom law prohibiting government from closing places of worship, Fox News, June 15, 2021.
  16. ^ Stinson, Paul. New Texas Law Bans Abortions Statewide If Roe Is Overturned, Bloomberg Law, June 16, 2021.
  17. ^ Parker, Kolten. Texas Gov. Abbott signs 7 gun laws, including ‘constitutional carry,’ at Alamo, KSAT-TV, June 17, 2021.
  18. ^ Kelly, Alexandra. Texas passes law banning critical race theory in schools, The Hill, June 17, 2021.
  19. ^ Mekelburg, Madlin. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signs bills responding to power grid failure into law, Austin American-Statesman, June 8, 2021.
  20. ^ Walsh, Josh. New Texas Law Requires Pro Sports Teams To Play National Anthem, Forbes, June 16, 2021.
  21. ^ Najmabadi, Shannon. Gov. Greg Abbott signs into law one of nation’s strictest abortion measures, banning procedure as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, Texas Tribune, May 19, 2021.
  22. ^ Lindell, Chuck (January 13, 2021). "Texas Senate modifies key rule to preserve GOP power". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  23. ^ Gersh, AJ (February 24, 2021). "Jacksboro attorney David Spiller wins House District 68 runoff election". KTXS-TV. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  24. ^ Svitek, Patrick (February 23, 2021). "Republican David Spiller wins rural Texas House seat, replacing Drew Springer". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  25. ^ Jump up to: a b "Gov. Greg Abbott sets Aug. 31 special election to replace U.S. Rep. Jake Ellzey in Texas House". Dallas Morning News. 2021-08-06. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  26. ^ Jump up to: a b "San Antonio Democrat Leo Pacheco reportedly planning to resign from Texas House before second term ends". Texas Tribune. 2021-08-06. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  27. ^ Jump up to: a b Feather, Susanna (March 25, 2021). "Representative David Spiller Takes Oath of Office". Olney Enterprise. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  28. ^ Cantu, Michael (December 28, 2020). "Governor announces special election for Drew Springer's House seat". KCBD-TV. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  29. ^ Gray-Hatfield, Megan (January 25, 2021). "Another runoff coming: Carter, Spiller to go head to head for HD-68". Gainesville Daily Register. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  30. ^ "David Spiller, Craig Carter to face runoff for Texas House District 68 seat". KXII-TV. January 23, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  31. ^ "Texas Special Runoff Election Results: Sixth Congressional District". The New York Times. 2021-07-27. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  32. ^ Sprinks, Bill (August 31, 2021). "Wray, Harrison advance to D-10 runoff". Waxahachie Daily Light. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  33. ^ Umana, Khadeeja (July 27, 2021). "Senate Select Committee to address college sports in lieu of Texas House hearing". KXXV. Retrieved July 30, 2021.

External links[]

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