Texas GOP

If passed, the bill would give parents of children in public school $8,000 for private school-related expenses.

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Senator Paul Bettencourt signaled potential friction with the House over the lower chamber’s proposal to use an appraisal cap to hold down property tax growth.

Texas lawmakers this year will debate whether to block transgender kids’ 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.

“The whole notion of vouchers. They were originally called segregation vouchers,” said Louis Malfaro, a leader in Pastors for Texas Children.

The Senate Special Committee on Redistricting held hearings last week on the current map defining state Senate districts.The map, along with the rest of Texas’s political boundaries, were redrawn in 2021 by the Republican-majority Texas Legislature and are still seeing pushback from Democrats.

The bills would ban governments and citizens of China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from buying property in the state.

The offices of governor, attorney general and lieutenant governor will remain in conservative hands as Texas Democrats continue their near-three-decade losing streak in statewide contests.

Aron Lionel Peña III, a former district director for Congresswoman Mayra Flores’ congressional office and Texas GOP staffer, has been accused of sexual harassment from multiple women — including some who work in GOP organizations and campaigns. Peña denies the allegations.

Texas Republican Party leaders want the state to adopt laws that would shorten the early voting period and no longer allow mail-in voting for anyone 65 and up.

Republicans in the Texas Panhandle county home to Amarillo are set to administer their own primary in March. Some state and county election officials fear voter confusion, fraud risk and possible lawsuits.