TREY MARTINEZ FISCHER

The expulsion of two Tennessee Democrats over a gun control protest is an extraordinary showcase of how the levers of single-party power in America’s statehouses can be pulled not only to shut down opponents, but also to punish them.

The expulsion of two Tennessee Democrats over a gun control protest is an extraordinary showcase of how the levers of single-party power in America’s statehouses can be pulled not only to shut down opponents, but also to punish them.

The proposal recommends spending billions on programs including property tax cuts, teacher pay raises, mental health services and border security. It leaves out requests for pay raises for retired state employees and funding for rent relief and childcare programs.

Republicans are wrestling over how much of the state’s nearly $33 billion budget surplus to spend on property taxes. Democrats have their own ideas about what to do with the cash.

State policymakers have mapped out familiar territory early in the legislative session, with Democrats seeking to expand voting access and Republicans pledging to make elections more secure.

Lawmakers begin work today for their biennial legislative session. They’ll debate over the state budget, school issues, border security and property taxes, among other issues.

There are 64 Democrats in the 150-member House, one fewer than before the election. There is also one fewer Democrat in the Senate.

Martinez Fischer replaces Rep. Chris Turner of Grand Prairie, who has led the caucus since 2017 and did not seek reelection.

The fast-growing region likely will see a considerable number of new state and federal lawmakers after the 2022 election. And in many cases, they will be representing districts whose boundaries have significantly shifted.

Two more Texas lawmakers who left their state to hobble efforts to pass new voting restrictions have tested positive for the coronavirus, raising to five the number of infected people in the delegation.

Three lawmakers tested positive on Saturday and two more on Sunday. All of the lawmakers are fully vaccinated.

Texas Republicans have advanced bills that would make voting harder in a state that already has some of the nation’s toughest restrictions after hundreds spoke against the proposals.

Some Texas Democrats say they're ready to stage a second walkout to again stop one of America’s most restrictive voting measures.

Senate Democrats are pledging to move ahead with a vote on their sprawling elections and voting bill next week, even as it faces universal opposition from Republicans as well as from a key senator from their own party.

After Texas workers were praised during the pandemic, many thought lawmakers would increase protections or benefits. But advocacy groups say they spent a lot of time playing defense on bills that could hurt workers.

The meeting will take place Wednesday, according to Harris' office.

The filibuster stands in the way of Democrats passing bills aimed at expanding access to the vote. Meanwhile, the executive branch has lost one of its most powerful tools for intervening.

AUSTIN, Texas – Win or lose in Texas on Tuesday, Republicans will still run plenty of America's state capitols. For a decade the Texas Legislature has been America's foremost factory of conservative legislation. Voting restrictions, expanded gun rights, immigration crackdowns and limits on abortion have passed out of the state House. So did Texas’ longest-serving female lawmaker, Democratic Rep. Senfronia Thompson, who would be Texas’ first House speaker who is female or Black. “It allows, us, frankly, to finally have an opportunity to really set policy at the state level of Texas," he said.

SAN ANTONIO – If Democrats can win the Texas House of Representatives in November, San Antonio native and District 116 Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer hopes to become the first Latino Speaker of the House in the state’s history. The most competitive house race in the San Antonio area is House District 121 - former Speaker Joe Straus' former district. Martinez Fischer said he admires Thompson and welcomes “constructive debate” that will come from the race for Texas Speaker of the House. “I look forward to the conversation with my colleagues both current and future over the coming days," Martinez Fischer said. Martinez Fischer held his House Rep. seat between 2000 and 2017.

State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, is the second Democrat to announce a bid for speaker of the Texas House. Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas TribuneState Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer on Monday announced he is running for Texas House speaker, becoming the second Democrat in the lower chamber to launch a bid for the gavel. Martinez Fischer, from San Antonio, joins state Rep. Senfronia Thompson, the longest-serving woman and Black person in the history of the Texas Legislature, in the race. In a statement, Martinez Fischer said the “number one job of the Speaker is to protect the House and its members.”“Members know that I have been a defender of the House rules and wielded them to protect the institution and the people we serve,” Martinez Fischer said. “My vision for the Texas House is an independent body that will work respectfully in a bi-partisan manner with the best minds at the table.

The following afternoon, during Abbotts weekly call with members of the Texas legislature, the question went unanswered, according to Bernal, D-San Antonio. Especially if they were challenging questions or questions that maybe put science ahead of the economy, said Bernal. On June 17, as new daily COVID-19 cases climbed over 3,000, Bernals staff again reached out to the Governors office and asked if Abbott was reconsidering his reopening strategy. Not only did the states positivity rate continue to increase after Bernals inquiries, but so did the number of daily cases statewide and in San Antonio. The KSAT 12 Defenders reached out to Abbotts office for more information on these weekly calls with legislators.