88th Texas Legislature

What would you do with $33 billion?

The bills would ban governments and citizens of China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from buying property in the state.

The Texas Legislature is required to approve changes to political boundaries during the first regular session after census data is released. But the coronavirus pandemic led lawmakers to pass their latest maps in the offseason.

The families are pushing for a series of bills that range from ending qualified immunity to changing age limits to purchase a semi-automatic rifle. The group also wants to be able to sue the state over the botched police response.

State Rep. James Talarico, D-Round Rock, said his bill would be the largest salary increase for teachers in the state’s history. “That's the kind of bold action this moment requires. And we can do this,” Talarico said.

Originally, PfISD administrators asked the school board to consider closing two to three schools. But on Thursday, Superintendent Douglas Killian suggested closing one to two schools instead.

Bills range from prohibiting insurance companies from covering gender-affirming care to revoking the license of a doctor who performs a gender-affirming surgery on a minor.

The budget bills filed Wednesday would also allocate $600 million to the Texas Education Agency to help school districts “in implementing school safety initiatives.”

The Republican governor will serve his term with an expanded Republican majority in the Texas House and Senate, making it unlikely that his priorities will face significant roadblocks.

Historically, in sessions after a mass shooting in Texas, bills seeking to restrict guns have gone nowhere.