Legal challenges to amendments appear quashed
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Texas Supreme Court hears abortion ban challenge
The Texas Supreme Court heard oral arguments last week in a case that could decide whether medical exceptions to the state’s abortion ban are written clearly enough to protect pregnant women who face serious health risks, the Austin American-Statesman reported.
Abbott: Battle continues over vouchers
Note: This is an updated version of the Capital Highlights column for the week of Nov. 20 - 24. An earlier version was released Friday, Nov. 17, for newspapers with early deadlines this week due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
House kills school choice plan
Note: This is a special bulldog edition of Capital Highlights to accommodate early holiday deadlines. An updated version will be released Sunday as events dictate.
Bill passes to allow undocumented migrants arrests
Lege gets to work in fourth special session
Special session likely to end with no voucher deal
As the clock ran down on the Legislature’s third special session, Texas House and Senate leaders exchanged barbs over Gov. Greg Abbott’s school choice bill and border security proposals, the Austin American-Statesman reported.
Abbott, House deadlocked over school choice, teacher pay
Gov. Gregg Abbott and the Texas House are at loggerheads over which will come first – vouchers for parents to pay for private school tuition, or funneling more money to public schools, The Dallas Morning News reported.
Early voting now underway
Early voting is now underway for the Nov. 7 general election. Voters will decide the fate of 14 proposed amendments, including measures to provide property tax relief and raise the homestead exemption to $100,000.
A nonpartisan explanation of what each proposition entails has been produced by the Texas Legislative Council and can be found at this link: https://tinyurl.com/5n946d32.
Abbott ties voucher passage to teacher pay, school funding
Gov. Greg Abbott, just hours after the Senate initially approved a school voucher measure, said he would add teacher raises and increased public school funding to the ongoing special session agenda if the Texas Legislature passes his voucher plan, the Texas Tribune reported.