Texas House votes to build statue of woman with unborn child on Capitol grounds
Senate Concurrent Resolution 19 was authored by Sen. Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound, and passed the House by a vote of 98-44. Rep. Once Gov. Greg Abbott signs off on the resolution, it goes to the State Preservation Board, which will consider the plan for the monument's construction.
Caroline Harris Davila, R-Round Rock, who sponsored the resolution, spoke in support of the monument. She said the statue will provide Texans with 'a public space to reflect on the beauty and sanctity of the love of a mother for her child.'
'The monument would serve as a peaceful space for families to honor motherhood, the strength of women, and the hope and beauty of human life,' Harris Davila said.
Harris Davila also emphasized that the monument will not depict a uterus or any female reproductive organs that might sexualize the statue. According to her, it will be funded entirely through private donations, not public money.
The statue will be installed on the grounds of the Capitol complex.
Later this week, the House is expected to vote on Senate Bill 31, known as the 'Life of the Mother Act.' The bill aims to clarify when doctors in Texas can legally perform abortions to save a woman's life. For example, it defines what constitutes a medical emergency and explicitly permits doctors to remove fetal remains after a miscarriage.
However, critics argue that the bill still falls short of adequately protecting women's health. Since Texas banned nearly all abortions following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, at least three women have died and dozens have been denied necessary medical care.
Disclosure: State Preservation Board has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
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USA Today
26 minutes ago
- USA Today
Get rid of mail-in voting? Trump goal sparks debate, threatened lawsuits
Trump has long railed against mail-in voting but experts say states and the Congress control election rules rather than the president. WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump's latest push to end absentee voting has ignited a firestorm of criticism and intense debate about the nation's election rules as the next midterm and presidential campaigns kick into gear. Election-law experts said a president has no role in governing elections. Advocacy groups threatened lawsuits aiming to block Trump. And Democrats braced for a political fight heading into the 2026 and 2028 election cycles as they look to rebound after a disastrous 2024 campaign. 'The Constitution gives states and Congress the power to run elections," said Michael Waldman, CEO of the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University. "Presidents have no lawful role.' But White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Aug. 19 that Trump would work with lawmakers to end mail-in voting because "this is a priority for the president." Here's what you need to know: How popular is mail-in voting? Mail-in voting is widespread and popular. Out of 155 million votes cast in 2024, nearly 47 million were mailed in, according to the Election Assistance Commission. Most states allow absentee voting for no reason, but some states require an excuse to avoid showing up in person. Eight states and Washington, DC, allow elections to be conducted entirely by mail, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and Washington state mail ballots to all registered voters. Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read said vote-by-mail elections are secure, accurate and honest. 'If he actually understood or cared about the American people, he'd know mail-in-voting is the best way to protect everyone's right to vote, especially rural folks, elderly people and hourly workers,' Read said. 'Mail-in-voting meets citizens exactly where they are: in their living rooms and around their kitchen tables.' Trump seeks to end mail-in voting Trump said Aug. 18 he would sign an executive order to abolish mail-in voting, which he slammed as vulnerable to fraud. Trump has long complained about absentee voting, since before the COVID-19 pandemic that shut down many in-person events. 'We're going to end mail-in voting," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "It's a fraud." Trump's announcement came while special House races are pending in Arizona and Tennessee; New Jersey and Virginia will be choosing governors in November this year; and some big-city mayors will be chosen in New York and elsewhere. The whole country will be voting on House races and one-third of the Senate 2026, and for president in 2028. Despite Trump's claims, election experts said voting is the most secure in history. "As we have said repeatedly, our election infrastructure has never been more secure and the election community never better prepared to deliver safe, secure, free and fair elections for the American people," Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, said after the 2024 election. David Becker, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Election Innovation and Research, which works with election officials of both parties to ensure secure elections, said ballots are the most verifiable and recountable in history with only Louisiana not voting on paper. Audits confirm the results, he said. And Congress approved ID requirements to register to vote in the 2002 Help America Vote Act, which followed the razor-thin victory of President George W. Bush over Al Gore in 2000. Trump, Democrats expect political fight over mail-in ballots Trump argued the 2020 presidential result was rigged after what his aides called a "red mirage" of an Election Day lead disappeared as mail-in ballots were counted and Joe Biden won the White House. "I, AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, WILL FIGHT LIKE HELL TO BRING HONESTY AND INTEGRITY BACK TO OUR ELECTIONS," Trump said in a social media post Aug. 18 advocating an end to mail-in voting. During the 2024 campaign, Republicans supported mail-in voting to avoid handing Democrats an advantage even as Trump occasionally criticized them. But the GOP sought an Election Day deadline for mailed ballots to be counted. Leavitt said the White House will work with lawmakers at federal and state levels to change the law. 'When the Congress comes back to Washington, I'm sure there will be many discussions with our friends on Capitol Hill and also our friends in state Legislatures across the country to ensure we're protecting the integrity of the vote for the American people," Leavitt said. But Democrats vowed to fight Trump efforts to undermine mail-in voting. While Republicans in the House could potentially approve a bill, it would face a steep challenge in the Senate, where 60 votes are needed to overcome a filibuster and where the GOP holds a 53-47 majority. 'Senate Democrats will make sure that any and every measure that would make it even more difficult for Americans to vote will be dead on arrival in the Senate and will continue to fight to protect our democracy," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York. Experts: States control election rules, not presidents The Constitution unambiguously says states regulate elections and only Congress can change that, Becker said. 'Getting rid of mail voting, which has been around since at least the U.S. Civil War, and which is offered by the vast majority of states, red and blue, is an incredibly bad idea that would make our elections much less secure and vulnerable to interference,' said Becker, a former election lawyer at the Justice Department. 'He has zero power to change election policy with the swipe of the pen, as the founders expressly stated.' Walter Olson, a senior fellow at the libertarian Cato Institute, said Trump "has no constitutional authority to end mail voting by executive order." "The Framers of the U.S. Constitution took care to keep the main responsibility for administering elections with the states and localities, which are in no way mere 'agents' of federal authorities," Olson said. Advocacy groups expect lawsuits if Trump moves against mail-in voting Federal courts have repeatedly recognized the state role in elections, including when a judge largley blocked Trump's March executive order dealing with elections. In Massachusetts, U.S. District Judge Denise Casper, an appointee of President Barack Obama, blocked parts of Trump's order that sought to require voters to prove they are citizens and to prevent states from counting mail-in ballots after Election Day. Trump is appealing. "The Constitution does not grant the president any specific powers over elections," Casper wrote. Advocacy groups said getting rid of mail-in voting could discourage millions of people who appreciate the flexiblity of avoiding voting in person on Election Day. "Many veterans, grappling with service-related disabilities like mobility impairments or PTSD, rely on this accessible method to vote independently and privately from home, avoiding the physical and emotional toll of in-person polling," said Naveed Shah, political director for Common Defense, a group representing military veterans and their families. Advocates from several groups expected lawsuits to challenge any Trump order seeking to abolish mail-in voting. 'We are prepared to protect mail-in voting in court against unfounded and unconstitutional attacks, as we have in Pennsylvania, Mississippi and other states,' said Sophia Lin Lakin, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Voting Rights Project. 'Access to mail-in voting is necessary to a fair and inclusive electoral process.'
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Texas Senate fast tracks THC ban, flood prep and bathroom restrictions for transgender people
The Texas Senate issued its final approval Tuesday to a suite of bills that, if enacted, will prohibit transgender people from using certain restrooms, unilaterally ban hemp products and curtail the ability for cities and counties to raise property taxes. The series of votes early into this year's second special legislative session advanced the upper chamber's more conservative priorities. Republican senators also passed legislation giving the Texas attorney general more power to prosecute election-related crimes and a bill preventing local officials from using taxpayer dollars to pay lobbyists to advocate on behalf of their interests at the Texas Capitol. Two of the bills were authored by State Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, who called his measure to limit transgender people from entering restrooms that don't match the sex they were assigned at birth "common-sense." He also said a second bill he wrote, which cracks down on publicly funded lobbying, is "a very tough bill." "And it's because so many are profiting off our taxpayers," he said. Democratic senators, for their part, opposed the majority of the bills that were up for a vote. State Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, said efforts to ban transgender people from using restrooms outside the sex assigned at birth could invite litigation. San Antonio Democrat José Menéndez said lawmakers convened to pass legislation in response to the deadly July 4 weekend flash floods that killed at least 135 people in Central Texas, including 27 girls at Camp Mystic. "It's despicable that someone would spend their time policing a restroom, a place where people go to relieve themselves, change their children's diapers, or help someone else use the restroom because they can't do so on their own," he said. "Every single Texan deserves privacy, and their privacy should be protected." Gov. Greg Abbott's agenda for this special session nearly mirrors the first. However, work during that session was stalled when Texas House Democrats left the state to prevent Republicans from passing a new congressional map the seeks to give the GOP five additional seats in the U.S. House. The Senate votes Tuesday came one day after the upper chamber passed flood-related legislation, which Democrats supported. Among those bills was one that seeks to improve safety measures at youth summer camps following the deadly July 4 flash floods that killed at least 135 people in Central Texas, including 27 girls at Camp Mystic. During floor discussion, Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, said with the release of data by the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, officials in the three counties affected by the tragedy are now in favor of flood warning systems. The legislation now heads to the Texas House. Here's a look at the bills the Senate has approved: Flood preparedness, camp safety and emergency response Senate Bill 2 would create a training program for justices of the peace on how to handle bodies during disasters when many people die, establish licensing requirements for emergency management coordinators and set up a registration system for disaster response volunteers that could include criminal history checks. The Senate proposal further requires all campgrounds in floodplains to develop evacuation plans, which they would have to activate any time the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning. It would also require campground cabins to have ladders so people could climb onto rooftops as a last resort. The bill passed unanimously. Senate Bill 3 would require a state agency to determine which areas in the region that flooded on July 4 should have outdoor warning sirens, and then establish guidance on how to install them. The governor's office would set up a grant program to help local governments pay for the projects. Senate Bill 5 would pull money from the state's so-called Rainy Day Fund for several disaster relief efforts, including $50 million for sirens and rain gauges in the Central Texas and $24 million to improve weather forecasting. Banning consumable THC Senate Bill 6 would create a blanket ban on products containing any 'detectable amount of any cannabinoid' other than cannabidiol and cannabigerol, better known as CBD and CBG, non-intoxicating components of cannabis. SB 6 would eliminate the majority of hemp products, including those that are legal under the federal definition. This is the third attempt by the lawmakers in the upper chamber to remove hemp-derived THC products from the general public, as they say it's too dangerous for children. It is identical to the House's version, which also calls for a ban. Still, since Abbott vetoed similar legislation that would have banned THC earlier this year , some lawmakers have signaled they'd support more regulations over a ban. SB 6 passed 22-8. Restricting bathrooms transgender people can use Senate Bill 8 seeks to restrict bathrooms transgender people can use. It also limits which prisons, jails and certain violence shelters transgender people can be placed into. Places where people use bathrooms that do not match their sex assigned at birth would be fined $5,000 for a first offense and $25,000 for any subsequent violations. Commonly referred to as a 'bathroom bill,' SB 8 was previously passed out of the Senate during the regular session and first special session. The bill would also allow civil lawsuits against institutions where violations occur and grant Attorney General Ken Paxton investigative oversight. SB 8 passed on a 19-11 vote. Limiting property tax collections without voter approval State lawmakers committed to spend $51 billion to lower school property taxes over the next two years. But Abbott and Republican legislators are hungry for other ways to bring down the state's high property tax bills. Senate Bill 10 aims to curtail city and county property taxes. The proposal would put tighter limits on how much more in property tax revenue cities and counties can collect each year without asking voters. That limit under state law is 3.5%. SB 10 would further limit that growth to 2.5% for cities and counties with at least 75,000 residents. SB 10 passed on an 18-12 vote. Trafficking victims Senate Bill 11, bipartisan legislation led by Flower Mound Republican Tan Parker, would create an affirmative defense for trafficking victims who commit crimes under their trafficker's force, fraud or coercion. Abbott vetoed a previous version of the bill passed during the regular session, saying that it was too broad. With the special sessions, the bill now details the criteria for the protection's application and limits the types of offense this defense could be used for, removing serious crimes such as murder and sexual assault. SB 11 passed to engrossment 30-0. Giving the attorney general more power in election crime investigations Senate Bill 12, from Sen. Bryan Hughes, a Mineola Republican, would allow the attorney general to prosecute election-related crimes without waiting for an invitation from the local district or county attorney. In 2021, the Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that the attorney general did not have independent prosecutorial authority; despite widespread conservative support, legislation to restore that power to the office stalled during subsequent legislative sessions. This year, Abbott added it to the special session agenda, but specifically requested it be passed as a constitutional amendment, which requires a two-thirds vote from both chambers, and voter approval. SB 12 passed 18-12. Banning local governments from using tax dollars to pay lobbyists Senate Bill 13 from state Sen. Mayes Middleton, a Galveston Republican, is a long-desired proposal by Republicans to forbid cities, counties and school districts from spending public dollars to hire lobbyists to represent them at the Capitol. Conservatives have long argued that localities collect money from taxpayers only to lobby against their interests at the state level — including on issues like property tax cuts. Local officials, in turn, argue that outlawing the practice would harm localities, especially smaller ones. Senators signed off on an identical bill during this year's first special session. The bill passed 18-11. Lowering developer fees for water conservation and reuse Local governments charge 'impact fees' to real estate developers to provide water and sewer infrastructure. Senate Bill 14 by state Sen. Charles Perry, a Lubbock Republican, would require cities and counties to lower those fees if developers install mechanisms to better conserve and reuse water. SB 14 passed with a unanimous vote. Keeping unsubstantiated police misconduct allegations private Senate Bill 15 would create a confidential department file for certain law enforcement personnel records, such as unsubstantiated misconduct allegations and background checks conducted during hiring. State Sen. Phil King, the Weatherford Republican who authored the bill, and the legislation's supporters said it is about standardizing agencies' public disclosure policies. They also said unsubstantiated claims shouldn't be publicized because they could be defamatory. Opponents of SB 15 raised concerns that this bill could keep important files from being shared with the public, hindering police transparency and accountability. This could include records related to the Uvalde shooting, some critics said, as the Texas Department of Public Safety appealed a judge's order to release videos and investigative files of the botched response to news outlets. King said during the Monday Senate hearing that his bill doesn't cover body-camera footage, or disclosures required under lawsuits or criminal investigations. Others said they are worried about how this bill would affect local police oversight rules such as in Austin, though King said during the first special session that the proposal wouldn't change the city's disclosure policy. Under the current bill, files that are required to be disclosed 'by law' are exempted. The Senate approved SB 15 with an 18-12 vote. Increasing penalties for deed fraud Senate Bill 16 would stiffen criminal penalties for people convicted of deed fraud — in which people use fraudulent deeds to commit financial crimes like selling someone else's property — and give property owners greater protections against that fraud. SB16 by Sen. Royce West, a Dallas Democrat, was passed to engrossment with a unanimous vote. Allowing for water control projects in partnership with USDA Senate Bill 18 seeks to help communities respond quickly during extreme weather events by diverting water or preventing erosion using water infrastructure. The bipartisan bill led by Sen. Judith Zaffirini of Laredo, would allow for a government entity that partners with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service to build or maintain small-scale water control projects — used for erosion, sediment or flood control — without needing a state permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality as long as it holds no more than 200 acre-feet. One acre-foot of water is about 325,851 gallons of water. This new exception would still apply even if the federal partnership ends as long as the dam is still used for the original purpose. TCEQ must create rules to implement this new exception by April 1. Immunity during legislative testimony Current law says that if a person is compelled to testify before the Legislature even if they claim that their testimony may be self-incriminating, they can receive total immunity from prosecution related to their statements — what's known as 'transactional immunity.' Senate Bill 34 would change the law to grant 'testimonial immunity' to witnesses instead — meaning that any testimony or evidence a witness gives to the Legislature cannot be used against them in a criminal prosecution. SB 34 passed 30-0. More all-star speakers confirmed for The Texas Tribune Festival, Nov. 13–15! This year's lineup just got even more exciting with the addition of State Rep. Caroline Fairly, R-Amarillo; former United States Attorney General Eric Holder; Abby Phillip, anchor of 'CNN NewsNight'; Aaron Reitz, 2026 Republican candidate for Texas Attorney General; and State Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin. Get your tickets today! TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
Miami Herald
44 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
California's in a nationwide redistricting civil war. Who's favored to win?
California is a crucial battlefront in a coast-to-coast political civil war over congressional redistricting, a war that Republicans nationally appear better positioned to win. 'If all these Republican processes go through, even if California goes through, Republicans are probably going to end up winning this redistricting war,' said Matthew Klein, U.S. House and governors' race analyst at the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. It's easier for Republicans in states they dominate to redraw the maps, he explained, and the GOP is aggressively weighing whether to do so in Indiana, Florida, Missouri, Ohio and Texas. At the same time, there are potential roadblocks to mid-decade redistricting, a strategy almost unheard of. 'Right now it seems there's a political posturing to this where everybody is all taking a swing at this,' said Lee Miringoff, polling director at the Marist Institute for Public Opinion in New York. 'Whether they actually connect is probably going to be in court cases.' President Donald Trump and his allies are aggressively trying to get congressional maps redrawn in Republican-friendly states. Democrats are seeking ways to fight back in California, New York, Illinois and elsewhere. In Washington, Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Roseville, who could be redrawn into a new, tougher-to-win district, is gaining support for legislation that would bar mid-term redistricting. And congressional leaders are using their muscle to create momentum for and against any plans to hurt their parties' chances of controlling Congress Democrats need a net gain of three seats in the 2026 election to regain control of the House for the first time since January 2023. History is on their side, as the party holding the White House traditionally loses a lot of seats in the middle of their term. Trump's Republicans lost a net 40 seats in 2018 and Democrats regained control of the House. Republicans won back control in the middle of President Joe Biden's term in 2022, as they gained nine seats. While it's still early to predict any outcomes, polling shows Trump's popularity sliding and Republican issues less popular. Inside Elections, a nonpartisan group that analyzes political races, says races for eight GOP House incumbents are toss-ups. Democrats have three in that category, including Reps. Adam Gray, D-Merced, and Derek Tran, D-Garden Grove. An August 9-11 Economist/YouGov poll had Trump's approval rating at 42% while 54% disapproved. A Democrat-controlled House would create political havoc for Trump. Democrats would not only set the chamber's agenda, but could launch investigations of the administration. Trump and his allies have been unusually bold in trying new strategies to maintain control, according to media reports and conversations with analysts around the country. Texas ignited the fire with its efforts to redraw its maps with the hope of gaining at least five more seats. California and Gov. Gavin Newsom struck back, creating their own new map aimed at winning five new Democratic seats. Now Republicans are eyeing a host of GOP-friendly seats. In Indiana, Vice President JD Vance met with state officials last week, and state Republicans are weighing whether to act. In Florida, House Speaker Daniel Perez sent a memo to lawmakers last week saying he was creating a new committee on congressional redistricting. The Miami Herald reported that whether it can act in time for the 2026 election is unclear. Officials are also weighing whether to redistrict in Indiana and Ohio, NPR has reported. Both states have huge legislative Republican majorities, big enough to overcome Democratic opposition. In Missouri, Republicans are reportedly considering breaking up the Kansas City-based district of Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., but also faces strict laws making mid-decade change difficult, NPR Kansas City reported. Democrats vigorously dispute the notion that Republicans have an advantage in the redistricting wars. 'Republicans are running scared. They know they can't win on the issues, so they are resorting to rigging the system in a desperate scheme to save their miniscule majority,' said Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. She vowed 'Democrats everywhere are prepared to fight back, using every tool at our disposal.' Democrats, though, appear to have fewer opportunities to change the maps in this cycle. 'It's much more complicated for Democratic states,' said Darrell West, senior fellow at Washington's Brookings Institution. 'They tend to have independent redistricting commissions.' Many of the Republican states in play don't. In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, is said to be sympathetic to having new lines, but state law makes that nearly impossible until the 2028 election, Spectrum News reported. In Illinois, Gov. JB Pritzker has warmed to the idea, though it's unclear where he could draw new lines favorable to Democrats. There's also talk in heavily Democratic Maryland of redrawing the state's only GOP district, but that would be geographically tough because of how much of that district is east of the Chesapeake Bay. Even in California, nothing is assured. The redistricting effort has to survive the Legislature, court challenges and voters in November. 'That fight is going to be long and ugly,' said Klein of California. In Washington, there's action on two fronts. Speaker Mike Johnson made it clear this week that he'll do all he can to stop California's bid. Redistricting, he said, is not only a bad idea, but a vanity mission for Newsom. 'Gavin Newsom's latest attempt to disenfranchise millions of California voters was written in the dark of night' by party officials, Johnson said. 'This is a slap in the face to Californians who overwhelmingly support the California Citizens Redistricting Commission,' the Louisiana Republican said. Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has vowed to fight Republican efforts across the country. Asked on ABC News last week if the Democrats were starting a redistricting arms race, the New York Democrat said that has already begun. 'Certainly, under these circumstances, one cannot unilaterally disarm. The Republicans are counting on that as part of their scheme to try to steal the midterm elections and gerrymander these congressional maps with impunity across the country,' he said. 'We're not going to stand for it.' But will members of Congress support Kiley's legislation, which would bar mid-term line-drawing? Passage of his legislation would cool all these efforts. Congress doesn't return to Washington until Sept. 2, but there appears to be sentiment from members of both parties for legislation to stop the mid-term redistricting. 'Both parties have engaged in gerrymandering,' Kiley said. 'The entire justification for redrawing district lines is absent. The entire process is motivated by partisanship through and through.'
