All seats in the state house and 16 seats in the state senate were up for election in November 2020. The Republican Party preserved their majority in both chambers.
June 30, 2021: Greg Abbott announced he will convene a special legislative session on July 8.[2]
July 8, 2021: 87th Legislature 1st Called Session convened at 10:00 a.m. (CST).
July 12, 2021: House Democrats fled to Washington, D.C., to break quorum, when the house convenes for the following day.[11][12]
July 13, 2021: The House lacks quorum. Will Metcalf (R) moved for a call of the house, which later passed.
July 15, 2021: House Speaker Dade Phelan stripped Joe Moody from the Speaker Pro Tempore leadership position as house democrats continue to break quorum.[13]
August 5, 2021: Governor Abbott announced he will convene a second special legislative session on August 7.[4]
August 6, 2021: Legislature adjourns 1st special session.
August 7, 2021: 87th Legislature 2nd Called Session convened at 12:00 p.m. (CST). The House continues to lack quorum, as several Democrats are still in Washington, D.C..
August 19, 2021: Texas House makes quorum with 99 representatives present.[14]
September 2, 2021: Legislature adjourns 2nd special session.
September 20, 2021: 87th Legislature 3rd Called Session convened at 10:00 a.m. (CST).
October 19, 2021: Legislature adjourns 3rd special session.
HB 5: The measure would aim to incentivize the expansion of broadband internet access to areas across the state through the creation of the State Broadband Development Office. The office would award grants, low-interest loans and other incentives to build out broadband access.[15]
HB 1927 (Constitutional carry): The measure would allow people to carry handguns in Texas without a concealed handgun license.[19]
HB 3979: The bill would ban the teaching of critical race theory in Texas schools and limit what public school students can be taught about the United States' history of subjugating people of color.[20][21]
Senate bills
SB 1: Tightens the state's election laws and constrains local control of elections by limiting counties' ability to expand voting options.
TX SB3: An Act relating to certain curriculum in public schools, including certain instructional requirements and prohibitions[22]
SB 3: The legislation would create a statewide emergency system to alert Texans if power outages are expected and require power generation companies to better prepare their facilities to withstand extreme weather.[23]
SB 4: The bill would require any professional sports teams with contracts with the state government to play the national anthem before the start of a game.[24]
SB 8: Texas Heartbeat Act (nicknamed "Fetal Heartbeat bill"): The measure allows private citizens to sue people who perpetrate or aid and abet abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. It bans the procedure at about six weeks into a pregnancy, except to save the mother's life.[25]
Proposed (but not enacted)
House bills
HB 3: The measure would give lawmakers more oversight of the governor's emergency powers during a pandemic and carves out future pandemics from how the state responds to other disasters, like hurricanes.
HB 20: The legislation would keep more people accused or previously convicted of violent crimes in jail before trial unless they can post cash bonds.
Senate bills
SB 7: A change on the state election process; election integrity and security, including by preventing fraud in the conduct of elections in this state; increasing criminal penalties; creating criminal offenses.
SB 10: The bill would ban local governments from using taxpayer dollars to lobby the state.
SB 12: The bill would prohibit social media companies with at least 100 million monthly users from blocking, banning, demonetizing or discriminating against users based on their viewpoint or their location within the state.
SB 29: The bill would prevent transgender Texas children from joining school sports teams that match their gender identity.
SB 1311: The measure would prohibit health care providers and physicians from performing gender-confirmation surgery or prescribing, administering or supplying puberty blockers or hormone treatment to anyone younger than 18.
SB 1529: The measure would create a new statewide court of appeals that would hear cases that have statewide significance — including ones that challenge state laws or the Constitution, or when the state or its agencies are sued.
Major resolutions adopted
SR 2: Reduced the supermajority usually needed to bring up a bill in the Senate to 18 out of 31 (previously it was set at 19).[26]
Former member Drew Springer (R) was elected for the District 30 of the Senate in a special election. A special election for the district was held on January 23, 2021.[41] * Out of 9,139 votes cast, no candidate received 50% of the votes to win the election.[42] A runoff election was held to determine a winner of the top two candidates of the January election.[43]
Former member Leo Pacheco (D) resigned to teach public administration at San Antonio College.[30] A special election for the district was held on September 29, 2021.[46] * Out of 7,075 votes cast, no candidate received 50% of the votes to win the election.[47] A runoff election will be held to determine a winner of the top two candidates of the September election.[48]
Former member Eddie Lucio III (D) resigned at the end of January 2022.[34] A special election for the district was held on May 7, 2022.[49] * The special election was canceled after only one candidate filed for the race. The filing deadline passed on March 7, 2022. In result, Erin Gamez was sworn into office on March 15, 2022.[36]
