The 2021 session of the Texas Legislature ended with some GOP priority bills failing. In the final days of the legislative session, Texas Democrats walked out of the House before the midnight deadline, blocking passage of a bill that would create new voting restrictions. The walkout also killed a bill that would make changes to the bail system.
Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement that both items – which he had declared emergency items – would be added to the agenda for a special legislative session. In addition, the Governor vetoed a section of the state budget that funds the Texas Legislature, its staffers and legislative agencies as punishment for Democrats’ walkout that blocked the elections bill.
Before the walkout, some Texas Republicans were declaring this session the most conservative in the state’s recent history after they passed bills allowing permitless carry of handguns and restricting abortion. While Democrats successfully blocked bills aimed at transgender children, an attempt to block a ban on teaching critical race theory in schools was thwarted when the bill was revived in the Senate.
Here’s are the steps of the legislative process we tracked:
In the works
Bills were proposed in the House or Senate and must have been approved by both chambers. A conference committee reconciled any differences.
Sent to Abbott
Next, bills went to Gov. Greg Abbott, who had until June 20 to decide whether to sign or veto.
Signed into law
If Abbott didn’t sign or veto a bill, it automatically became a law. Most new laws take effect Sept. 1.
Vetoed or failed
Some measures failed before they got out of the Legislature by missing a key deadline. Abbott can also veto a bill.
Here’s a look at the status of 17 bills:
- HB 1927: Permitless carry of handguns Bill signed into law
- SB 8: Fetal “heartbeat” bill Bill signed into law
- SB 1: State budget Bill signed into law
- SB 3: Winter storm response Bill signed into law
- HB 3979: Critical race theory in schools Bill signed into law
- SB 4: National anthem bill Bill signed into law
- HB 5: Broadband expansion Bill signed into law
- HB 1280: Ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned Bill signed into law
- HB 1239: Protecting churches from closure during disasters Bill signed into law
- SB 7: Voting restrictions Bill failed to pass or was vetoed
- SB 29: Transgender students and school sports Bill failed to pass or was vetoed
- SB 1311: Revoke physician's medical licenses for providing gender-affirming medical care Bill failed to pass or was vetoed
- SB 10: Taxpayer-funded lobbying Bill failed to pass or was vetoed
- SB 12: Social media expression bill Bill failed to pass or was vetoed
- SB 1529: Statewide appeals court Bill failed to pass or was vetoed
- HB 20: Changes to bail Bill failed to pass or was vetoed
- HB 3: Governor’s pandemic powers Bill failed to pass or was vetoed
In the works
The session ended May 31, so time has run out for proposed bills.
Sent to Abbott
The deadline for Abbot to sign or veto bills was June 20.
Signed into law
Permitless carry of handguns
HB 1927: Signed on June 16
This measure, which has failed in past sessions, would allow people to carry handguns in Texas without a concealed handgun license. Read more
Fetal “heartbeat” bill
SB 8: Signed on May 19
This bill doesn’t specify a time frame but would ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which proponents say can be as early as six weeks. The measure would be enforced by private citizens empowered to sue abortion providers and others who help someone get an abortion after six weeks, for example, by driving them to an abortion clinic. Read more
State budget
SB 1: Signed on June 18
The one must-pass piece of legislation this session, Senate Bill 1 is the state budget for the 2022-23 biennium. Lawmakers entered the session expecting to make major cuts, but financial forecasts have improved in recent months. Gov. Greg Abbott signed the budget but vetoed a section that funds the Texas Legislature, its staffers and legislative agencies. The move came after Democrats walked out of the House in the final days of the legislative session to block passage of an elections bill that would have overhauled voting rights in the state. Read more
Winter storm response
SB 3: Signed on June 8
Senate Bill 3 is the upper chamber’s sweeping legislation stemming from February’s deadly winter storm. 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. Read more
Critical race theory in schools
HB 3979: Signed on June 15
This 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. Read more
National anthem bill
SB 4: Signed on June 16
This conservative-backed bill would require any professional sports teams with contracts with the state government to play the national anthem before the start of a game. Read more
Broadband expansion
HB 5: Signed on June 15
This 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, which would award grants, low-interest loans and other incentives to build out broadband access. Read more
Vetoed or failed
Voting restrictions
SB 7: Missed key deadline on May 30
Senate Bill 7 would touch nearly the entire voting process, including provisions to limit early voting hours, curtail local voting options and further tighten voting-by-mail, among several other provisions. It was negotiated behind closed doors over the last week after the House and Senate passed significantly different versions of the legislation and pulled from each chamber’s version of the bill. The bill also came back with a series of additional voting rule changes, including a new ID requirement for mail-in ballots, that weren’t part of previous debates on the bill. Read more
Transgender students and school sports
SB 29: Missed key deadline on May 26
This bill would prevent transgender Texas children from joining school sports teams that match their gender identity. Read more
Revoke physician's medical licenses for providing gender-affirming medical care
SB 1311: Missed key deadline on May 23
This 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. Read more
Taxpayer-funded lobbying
SB 10: Missed key deadline on May 26
A conservative priority, this bill would ban local governments from using taxpayer dollars to lobby the state. Read more
Social media expression bill
SB 12: Missed key deadline on May 26
Pushed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in response to the perception that social media companies are discriminating against conservatives, this 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 Texas. Read more
Statewide appeals court
SB 1529: Missed key deadline on May 23
This 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. Currently, those cases are heard by the 3rd Court of Appeals based in Austin, whose judges are Democrats. Read more
Changes to bail
HB 20: Missed key deadline on May 30
The House's priority bail bill was recently overhauled to match the Senate's version. The legislation would keep more people accused or previously convicted of violent crimes in jail before trial unless they can post cash bonds. It would also bar many charitable organizations — which paid for the release of anti-police brutality protesters last year — from posting bond for those accused or previously convicted of violent crimes. Read more
Governor’s pandemic powers
HB 3: Missed key deadline on May 30
This 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. It would affirm the governor’s power to suspend state laws and override local orders during a pandemic but would require the Legislature to convene if a governor’s order lasts more than 90 days. Read more