Texas House approves sweeping limits on local regulations

Table Of Content

• Texas House approves sweeping limits on local regulations in GOP’s latest jab at blue cities
• Latest Texas Tribune events and articles
• Subscribe to Dallas' Newsletter
• How Republican-led states far from the US-Mexico border are rushing to pass tough immigration laws
• Dallas Poker Club
• Centrist South Texas
• Speaker of the House

Ten of these 14 South Texas representatives are Democrats and four are Republicans. Within the Republican delegation, three distinct blocs of representatives appear in the data. The Speaker pro tempore is primarily a ceremonial position, but does, by long-standing tradition, preside over the House during its consideration of local and consent bills. The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. The employee primarily performs executive, administrative or professional duties.

Texas House approves sweeping limits on local regulations in GOP’s latest jab at blue cities

He is replaced by Kevin Sparks, who aligns with Patrick on social issues and who the lieutenant governor endorsed. Those changes mean Republicans have increased their majority in the chamber by one, with 19 Republicans and 12 Democrats to start Tuesday’s session. At the most liberal end of the Democratic ideological spectrum, nine representatives stand out, with Lib-Con Scores that are significantly more liberal than those of more than one-half of their Democratic colleagues.

Latest Texas Tribune events and articles

Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan and his Republican primary runoff challenger, David Covey, are both accusing each other of avoiding a date on the debate stage ahead of the marquee state House election next month. Burrows argued that, historically, it hasn’t been the local government’s role to address problems like heat stress on workers. City officials say the full scope of the legislation advanced Tuesday is still unclear, but it would limit their ability to issue worker protections, water restrictions and more.

Texas House, Senate voucher bills differ on authority to increase funding - The Texas Tribune

Texas House, Senate voucher bills differ on authority to increase funding.

Posted: Fri, 20 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

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Further, despite assertions of an “open” process, the foreign aid bills were brought forward with anything but. Worse still, a mere seven amendments received consideration on these bills, despite over 300 having been filed, and not a single amendment to secure the border was made in order. Sen. Kelly Hancock, the North Richland Hills Republican carrying the bill, acknowledged in a March committee hearing that no other cities have tried to restrict gas lawn equipment. But he cited talk of the federal government regulating gas stoves due to health concerns as another reason he authored the proposal.

We are adding $1 trillion to the debt every 100 days due to unbridled federal spending and inflation is still eating away at American paychecks. In the face of that, Republicans inexplicably choose to advance a package representing more of the same uniparty legislating that got us in this situation. As a matter of policy and principle, I strongly support providing aid to our friend and ally Israel to support them generally, and particularly in the wake of Hamas’ barbaric terror attack and Iran’s recent strike. I was proud to pass Israel funding in November, fully paid for – and was prepared to advance an Israel-only bill now to stand with Israel. However, the Israel aid package was paired to gain Democrat support with over $9 billion in humanitarian aid to Gaza and other areas, which will certainly and inevitably find its way into the hands of Hamas — effectively funding both sides of the war and undermining Israel.

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The Creighton and Burrows bills would also prevent cities from enacting ordinances that conflict with the state’s natural resources and agriculture codes, which environmental groups warn could have implications for everything from water conservation to controlled burns. In recent years, the Legislature has made it virtually impossible for cities and counties to touch their police budgets and reined in how much their overall spending can grow each year. Texas cities can no longer ban fracking within city limits or require landlords to accept low-income tenants with federal housing vouchers. “The idea that we should, instead of having those debates, cut them off at the root and upend our democratic process to win fights that we aren’t even having is an affront to democracy,” San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said.

Lawmakers passed new laws banning almost all abortions and allowing permitless carry of handguns. Texas House of Representatives members on Tuesday voted to elect state Rep. Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, to a second term as speaker — the most powerful position in the lower chamber. Overall, of the dozen most centrist representatives (six Democrats and six Republicans) in the Texas House, nine hail from South Texas, a region that only has 14 representatives in the Texas House all together. Or put another way, a region that accounts for 9% of the members of the Texas House provides 75% of its most centrist members. The 85 members of the Republican House delegation reflect a wide range of ideological positions. The conservative end of the Texas House GOP Caucus is anchored by Jared Patterson of Frisco, Briscoe Cain of Deer Park, Cody Vasut of Angleton, Steve Toth of The Woodlands, Shelby Slawson of Stephenville and Tony Tinderholt of Arlington.

Centrist South Texas

Business groups are backing the proposals because they would prevent the state’s more left-leaning cities from enacting rules the groups believe would be harmful to businesses. Because the bill is so broad, no one really knows the full extent of what it would do. Months after Burrows unveiled the first draft of the legislation, opponents still fear they’ve only scratched the surface of its potential impacts. Democrats on Tuesday sought explicit carve outs for local laws including nondiscrimination ordinances and protections against workplace sexual harassment but those measures failed. They warn of a flood of lawsuits against local governments should the bill — or its counterpart, Senate Bill 814, carried by Conroe Republican Brandon Creighton — become law. But if local business regulations have hampered the state’s economy, its booming economic and job growth over the past decade don’t reflect it, opponents of these measures say.

Speaker of the House

In his nominating speech for Tinderholt, Slaton said the tradition in the House of selecting some minority party members — in Texas, Democrats — for committee chair positions is an overly generous “consolation prize” for losing an election. He said Phelan’s adherence to that tradition means Republicans can pass only some conservative legislative priorities each session while ignoring others. Phelan also cited recent reporting by The Texas Tribune about an increase in rural hospitals no longer delivering babies and committed to reversing that trend.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in an effort to reform how that chamber is run. House Republicans who blocked McCarthy’s leadership for more than a dozen votes, grinding Congressional business to a halt for four days last week. Overtime protections have been a critical part of the FLSA since 1938 and were established to protect workers from exploitation and to benefit workers, their families and our communities. Strong overtime protections help build America’s middle class and ensure that workers are not overworked and underpaid. For months, House Republicans — specifically, Speaker Mike Johnson — have been unequivocal that we would not send billions in additional aid to Ukraine without securing our own border first. This package represents a complete reversal of a position that previously unified the Republican conference, despite the clear and present danger the southern border represents to U.S. national security.

No fatalities have been reported so far following the storms, officials said. There is a tornado watch in effect for parts of six states, from Texas to Iowa into the late evening. The multi-day tornado outbreak continues Saturday, with powerful storms expected from Texas to the Great Lakes.

Our experienced staff is committed to ensuring that your experience at TCH is nothing short of exceptional, from the moment you walk through the door to the final hand of the night. Experience the thrill of poker like never before in our luxurious and private club in the heart of Austin. The National Weather Service will be conducting damage surveys this weekend to determine the number of confirmed tornadoes, as well as the intensity ratings and other details. A "high risk" for excessive rainfall is the greatest level threat possible. It is a rare and serious life-threatening flood event forecast that leads to a high-risk issuance.