While state Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, was unsure about running for office, state Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Dallas, was inspired to run after a class she took at UT.
Thousands of anti-abortion supporters from around the state carried signs reading “Defund Planned Parenthood” and chanted “We are pro-life” on the steps of the Texas Capitol on Saturday for the annual Texas Rally for Life.
Advocates for marijuana decriminalization in Texas might score a major victory this year if the state legislature passes House Bill 63, a bill proposed by Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, that has attracted bipartisan support.
One resource available to students experiencing food insecurity is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the largest food assistance program in the U.S. However, a report released by the United States Government Accountability Office in December found that 57 percent of eligible students did not receive SNAP benefits in 2016.
Committees play a key role in the legislative process in both chambers — all bills must be heard and approved by a committee before they are voted on by the full body of the House or the Senate.
This year, Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, filed House Bill 84, which would strike the longstanding clause from the penal code that criminalizes the offense of homosexual conduct.
Once a bill has been successfully filed, it is assigned to a committee. The large role that committees play in the legislative process is apparent during the first 60 days of the session, a time when no bills can be debated on the floor of the House or Senate.
If the question ends up on the 2020 census, experts say it could result in undercounting the U.S. population, which would hurt Texas’ political standing because of its high immigrant population.
