Citing an opinion Abbott wrote as a justice in 1997, the Fourth Court of Appeals called his mask mandate ban an excess of his authority.
“This case, and others like it, are not about whether people should wear masks or whether the government should make them do it."
Though piecemeal legislation was approved to address certain aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas, no significant checks on the executive branch were created.
Though a measure to require legislative approval for major disaster declaration renewals died in the House, it was revived in the Senate as a substitute for House Bill 3.
With only until the end of the month for lawmakers to pass bills, here’s where the progress on the Texas GOP’s legislative priorities currently stands.
A constitutional amendment to reform the Texas Disaster Act to require more legislative oversight was passed by the Senate in a 30 to 1 vote.
Luther will officially avoid having to serve her remaining five-day jail sentence and payment of a $7,000 fine.
All counties in Texas have been under a declared disaster for over a year. Here’s a look back at the policies implemented under the designation in comparison with the data.
The hearing examined a committee substitute of the bill, which would create a 10-person “Legislative Oversight Committee” that could end a pandemic disaster declaration.
Authored by nearly half of the Texas Senate, a proposed constitutional amendment would require legislative approval for extending disaster declarations.
Rep. Burrows filed a bill to create new guidelines for a pandemic response that solidifies the approach Gov. Abbott took to the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting criticism from some conservatives. Here’s a look at the debate and what’s inside.
"The simple truth is that only the legislature is constitutionally authorized to create, amend, or abolish criminal laws,” said Schaefer.
