Latest news with #DustinBurrows
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Senate push to ban abortion pills in Texas was blocked in the House: A 'political decision'
A sweeping GOP-led proposal to crack down on abortion pills in Texas died without a House vote Tuesday, angering anti-abortion Republicans, relieving Democrats and potentially setting the stage for future electoral and legislative battles. Senate Bill 2880 would have allowed private citizens to sue organizations that mail drugs like mifepristone and misoprostol to patients in Texas for $100,000 or more per violation, mirroring the enforcement mechanism in a 2021 law that opponents dubbed the 'bounty hunter' ban. The measure also would have empowered the Texas attorney general to enforce the state's criminal abortion laws, including a ban originating in 1857, by suing violators on behalf of "unborn children of the residents of this state." Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, authored the bill. Both chambers held exhaustive, hours-long hearings on the legislation in April, and the bill passed the Senate on a party-line vote nearly a month ago. But after the measure advanced out of a House committee on Friday, it got stuck in administrative limbo and never reached the panel that sets floor calendars. The lower chamber's most fervently anti-abortion Republicans slammed House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, and his leadership team for failing to advance the bill. "If we can't pass a bill to protect the most innocent Texans, then what are we here for in the Republican-led Legislature?" asked Rep. Nate Schatzline, R-Fort Worth, on Friday. Texas Right to Life director John Seago also criticized House leadership, telling the American-Statesman on Wednesday that he's "extremely disappointed" the bill didn't pass. In response, Burrows' press secretary, Kimberly Carmichael, pointed to this session's passage of a ban on taxpayer-funded abortion travel as evidence that "protecting innocent life and promoting the health of Texas families will always remain a top priority for the House." "Texas has the strongest pro-life protections in the nation, including laws that prohibit the mailing of abortion-inducing drugs into our state," Carmichael wrote in an email to the Statesman on Wednesday. "Speaker Burrows supports the state's ongoing legal efforts to hold those in violation of these provisions accountable." Anti-abortion groups hoped the measure would cut off the influx of abortion pills that persists despite the state's near-total abortion ban. Texans who terminate their own pregnancies cannot be held liable under current state law, meaning they do not face legal consequences for self-managed abortions. Democratic lawmakers, on the other hand, labeled the bill a 'bounty hunter bonanza' that challenged constitutional protections and judicial norms. The proposal would have prohibited state district judges from ruling on the law's constitutionality and allow those that did to be sued for $100,000 or more in damages. "These bills are designed to isolate women, threatening the family, friends, doctors, organizations, lawyers and judges they might turn to for help," said Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin, during a floor debate in April. The bill's fate reflects a "political decision" on the part of House leadership, said Mark Jones, a Rice University political scientist who specializes in Texas politics. Polls show that Texans overwhelmingly oppose the state's current abortion ban, which makes no exceptions for rape, incest or fatal fetal diagnoses. At the same time, the majority of Texans do not support legalizing abortions up to 20 weeks, as was the case under Roe v. Wade, Jones added, citing a February poll from the University of Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs. He posited that the availability of pills insulated Republicans from consequences over 2021 laws banning abortion. 'One of the reasons we didn't see as much blowback in 2022 and 2024 is because of the wide availability of medication abortion,' Jones said. 'If they cut off that route or close that pipeline, that could essentially transform abortion into a more salient political issue, which Republicans don't want.' In preventing a floor vote, University of Texas political scientist Jim Henson said, the House leadership shielded Republicans from a tough decision: either approve a bill that could hurt them in a general election or reject a proposal supported by the GOP base, which holds stronger conservative abortion views than most Texans and is active in primary contests. Burrows and other House leaders also likely prevented Democratic members from pulling out every stop to drag out debates on the bill, which could have killed other conservative priorities as the legislative clock ran out. "Burrows in particular and the House leadership have to balance dissent on the right with managing the opposition that played a big role in bringing them to power," Henson said. "They had to look at what the far-right was going to do and what the Democrats were going to do and make a judgment." Texas voters also lack appetite for the proposal's civil enforcement mechanism, according to an April poll of 1,200 registered voters from the University of Texas and the Texas Politics Project. Just 25% of survey respondents said they supported giving individuals the right to sue people who help bring abortion pills into Texas illegally, while more than 54% opposed such a measure. "Even among the most committed, strong Republicans, there's just not overwhelming enthusiasm for extending these kinds of bounty-hunter proposals that were pioneered here a few years ago," said Henson, who conducted the poll with his colleague, Joshua Blank. Henson noted that there was significantly more public enthusiasm for the concept behind Senate Bill 31, which would clarify that doctors can intervene when pregnant Texans face life-threatening conditions. The bipartisan bill comes after three women in Texas died after doctors hesitated or failed to provide abortions, as ProPublica reported. SB 31 was sent to Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday after clearing both chambers. But it wasn't a priority for anti-abortion groups like Texas Right to Life, Seago, the group's director, told the Statesman. "We made it clear to members: This is not a priority because it doesn't move us forward," Seago said. The group's only priorities were SB 2880 and SB 33, a measure to ban taxpayer funding for out-of-state abortion travel. One Republican state lawmaker suggested that passing SB 31, dubbed the "Life of the Mother Act" by Hughes, was a tradeoff in exchange for the restrictions promised by SB 2880. "The Texas House worked hand in hand in a bipartisan effort to pass the Life of the Mother Act," Rep. Mitch Little, R-Lewisville, said in a news conference Friday. "We think that that was a very noble thing to do. But there's a balance to this equation that has to be completed." The success of SB 31 and failure of SB 2880 suggests the GOP isn't as bullish on abortion rights as they used to be. Seago said members have become significantly less passionate about the issue since the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 struck down the right to abortion established in Roe v. Wade. "We did see a huge drop off after 2022 in enthusiasm and passion for this issue and we've been dealing with Republican apathy ever since 2022," Seago said. "Some people think that we as a pro-life group still get a blank check. That's not the case." Austin Democratic Rep. Donna Howard, however, doesn't see Republicans as less interested in restricting abortion. "They've done what they can do," she said Howard, a leading voice on abortion rights who joined the Legislature in 2006. "They've spent a decade building this up, and now they have to kind of stretch to find additional things to do." Republicans succeeded in passing a number of other bills on "red meat" issues this session, including a requirement that the Ten Commandments be posted in every public school classroom, restrictions on school library books and property tax relief. But Seago said he believed House leadership could see a blowback in GOP primaries over the death of the abortion pill crackdown proposal. Abortion rights advocates, on the other hand, said they're focused on general elections. And while they're relieved that SB 2880 didn't make the cut, they remain wary of future efforts to crack down on the procedure. "Our numbers will keep growing while they're fighting over the next way to double down on their extreme abortion ban," said Shellie Hayes-McMahon, executive director of Planned Parenthood Texas Votes. Asked if he would refile the same bill in the next legislative session, which convenes in 2027, Hughes, who authored SB 2880, did not respond. The bill's House sponsor, Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, also did not respond to the Statesman's request for comment. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Legislature: House lets abortion pill crackdown proposal fizzle
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas Legislature latest: Countdown until end of session is on
The Brief Monday marked one week to go until the end of regular session Voting would go until midnight, another late push on Tuesday Several issues are still at play here AUSTIN, Texas - With only a week to go until the end of the regular session, the countdown is on for the Texas Legislature. House Speaker Dustin Burrows issued a warning before Monday's final hard press started. Voting would go until midnight with another late push on Tuesday. Big picture view Political analysts Mark Jones and Brain Smith gave their impressions of the political end game that's being played. "It is all coffee and cigarette this week, because everything has to be through the legislature process, through all the channels and done by next Monday," said Smith. Jones anticipates the 48-hour period to be frantic. "And at the end of the day, Democrats now can see light at the tunnel," said Jones. The light for Democrats, is not a green light. Monday, House Democrats hit the brakes at times. During the day they engaged in debate by asking multiple questions and many of the questions seemed to be raised only as a way to burn time. This tactic, called chubbing, was even used on a bipartisan bill that encourages movie making in Texas. "So every minute that Democrats waste chubbing on bills like the motion picture bill, which is going to pass, which they actually, virtually all, support is less time for bills that are on the calendar on Tuesday, or potentially even some bills that run the Monday calendar, but very low down on the list," said Jones. The stalling effort was used a few weeks ago with earlier deadlines. Dig deeper Several issues are still at play here and some recently saw votes. House Republicans have pushed through several abortion bills. They include clarifying when doctors can perform the procedure to save the life of the mother, and a bill banning the use of tax dollars to pay for out-of-state trips for abortions. SB 2880, which bans the sale of abortion-inducing medication, moved out of a House committee on Saturday but has not yet been posted for a floor debate in the full House. There was a vote that brought about a political death and resurrection. The Texas Lottery Commission was abolished with the games moved to a new agency. State Rep. Gene Wu (D-Houston) in questioning state Rep. Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth) noted the switch over would start September 1st. State Rep. Chris Turner (D-Plano) reminded House members the action will save a game that helps veterans. "While it's a relatively small aspect of the lottery overall, the impact that the veterans scratch-off ticket has is immense for the men and women who have served our state," said Turner. Legislative survivors included two hard-line bail reform measures. Debate on a bill to deny bail for undocumented immigrants was moved to Tuesday. A no-bail resolution for repeat offenders with violent crimes failed to gain the necessary 100 votes. It could get a second chance on Tuesday. Another critical 2nd Reading vote was on SB13. It would create school library advisory councils to make recommendations on books. The committees would consist of parents, educators, and local community members. What's next The latter part of the week will be focused on finalizing deals involving several big bills that are in conference committee. That process could carry over into next Monday. The Source Information in this report comes from reporting/interviews by FOX 7 Austin's chief political reporter Rudy Koski.
Newsweek
23-05-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Texas Could Fine Doctors $250,000 for Changing Patients' Recorded Sex
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Texas could fine doctors $250,000 for changing patients' recorded sex on their medical documents as part of a new bill. The Texas House of Representatives approved a bill on Thursday requiring health agencies to record the sex assigned at patients' births on forms. The bill includes penalties for those who do not comply. Why It Matters Transgender rights were a central theme in the 2024 election. When President Donald Trump was inaugurated in January, he signed an executive order mandating that his administration would use "clear and accurate language and policies that recognize women are biologically female, and men are biologically male." The federal government will also use the word "sex" instead of "gender" with all official documents, including passports, visas and Global Entry cards, "accurately reflecting the holder's sex." In Texas, in particular, there has been a series of legislation affecting the trans community. As of September 2024, transgender Texans are no longer permitted to change sex on birth certificates. Meanwhile, a separate Texas bill could make it a felony for transgender people to identify their gender differently from their sex assigned at birth on official documents with government entities or employers Texas state Rep. Greg Bonnen, who sponsored the bill, speaks to Rep. Dustin Burrows at the Texas Capitol in Austin on January 14, 2025. Texas state Rep. Greg Bonnen, who sponsored the bill, speaks to Rep. Dustin Burrows at the Texas Capitol in Austin on January 14, 2025. AP Photo/Stephen Spillman What To Know The bill could fine doctors $250,000 for changing patients' recorded sex. However, it also has an exemption stating it does not stop gender identity information from being included in health records. The bill also includes restrictions on healthcare providers' use of artificial intelligence (AI) but does not ban it, and rules about the storage of digital servers. What People Are Saying Texas state Representative Greg Bonnen, a Republican who sponsored the bill, said: "Listen, biological sex and medical records is an issue of accuracy, and impacting safe medical care in an acute situation, an emergency could lead to a misdiagnosis. The whole point of the section of the bill is to ensure the physicians always know the true biological sex from birth, and the language is carefully crafted to allow for exceptions based on other medical conditions." Texas state Representative Ron Reynolds, a Democrat who opposes the bill: "Knowing that documentation choices could trigger a government investigation discourages providers from recording accurate individualized information, especially in complex cases involving gender or sex variation. It places fear and legal exposure ahead of best medical practice." What Happens Next The bill requires another formal vote in the state House. Then, it will be sent to the Senate. If the Senate passes it, it will move to Texas Governor Greg Abbott's desk for approval.
CBS News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Texas lawmakers say they're restructuring how they deploy funding to public schools
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, formally announced Thursday a deal on a bill to inject $8.5 billion in new money into Texas public schools. During an interview with CBS News Texas Thursday morning, Senate Education Committee Chair Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, said, "I believe it will pass overwhelmingly." Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks during a news conference at the Texas Capitol in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, June 6, 2023. Patrick will oversee the Senate trial on whether to remove impeached Texas Attorney General Paxton from office. Eric Gay / AP The measure could be voted on in the Senate on Friday. Creighton said the increased funding is $500 million more than the agreement struck one week ago. He said House and Senate negotiators kept talking. "The Senate has been very focused on restructuring the old, archaic ways that we deploy dollars to our public schools because our outcomes have just not been meeting expectations." About half of the new money - $ 4.2 billion - is for teacher pay raises, the largest in state history. Other non-administrative staff will receive a total of $500 million. Teachers with three or more years of experience would receive a raise, and that increase would double in year five. Teachers in rural school districts with five or more years of experience would receive up to $8,000 more. Free pre-K would be available for teachers as well. The state will also invest $135 million in teacher preparation and certification programs, which will phase out uncertified teachers by 2030. These are teachers who have no formal, in-classroom training before being hired. The Texas Education Agency said that last year, 56% of first-time teachers were uncertified. The deal also provides funding for full-day pre-K, an extra $300 million for small and mid-sized school districts, and an additional $800 million for growing and rural districts. School safety funding would increase by $430 million. Special education programs would receive an extra $850 million. State Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, has been among the most vocal critics of the state's education funding bill. "This was a backroom deal that wasn't done in the House chamber or the Senate chamber," he told CBS News Texas Thursday morning. He said the basic allotment, or per-student funding, is much lower than it should be. Under the deal, it would increase by $55. "We need at least a $1,300 increase to the basic allotment just to catch our schools up to 2019 funding levels." But Creighton said the basic allotment is a starting point and that the Legislature is giving schools more money for school safety, special education, teacher preparation, and pay raises for teachers, among other things. He said teachers with three or more years of experience would see increases. Talarico said the raises don't go far enough. "What I am saying is we have a $24 billion budget surplus in this state, and so we should be using that money to give pay raises to all teachers, especially teachers who are under five years, because that's where we're seeing the most turnover," Talarico said. Under the deal, Creighton said teacher and staff pay raises will be permanent, not just for a two-year period. "If we would have only increased the basic allotment, that would have given a raise that would have stayed the same over time," Creighton said. "But it would not have had growing provisions and that budget refilling that teacher pay allotment cup at a higher amount each and every session." After the Senate votes to approve the bill, it will head to the House, where lawmakers will have to decide whether to accept changes made by the Senate. Watch Eye on Politics at 7:30 a.m. Sunday on CBS News Texas, on air and streaming. Follow Jack on X: @cbs11jack
Forbes
21-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
2025 Could Be The Year Texas Ends Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying
View of the Texas Capitol from outside the ornate iron fence With two weeks to go in the biennial session of the Texas Legislature, lawmakers in Austin still have much remaining business to tend to. Governor Greg Abbott (R) and many legislators, however, have already accomplished their top priority for the session by enacting legislation, which Governor Abbott signed last week, creating an education savings account (ESA) program that will provide an estimated 100,000 children with school choice next year. The Texas Senate has passed school choice legislation multiple times over the past six years, only to see it die in the House. School choice, however, isn't the only marquee conservative reform that might finally get to Governor Abbott's desk this year after being stymied in the Texas House for the better part of a decade, but that depends on whether Speaker Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) and his colleagues can get Senate Bill 19 to Governor Abbott's desk before adjourning session on June 2. Senate Bill 19, which the Texas Senate passed in March and is now awaiting consideration in the House State Affairs Committee, would bar local governments from using taxpayer dollars to hire contract lobbyists. According to research from the Texas Public Policy Foundation, an Austin-based think tank, local governments across the state spent $98.6 million on lobbyists in 2023, up from $75 million in 2021. 'Up to $100 million per year of Texan's tax dollars are used to hire Austin lobbyists that then lobby against taxpayers and parents,' says Senator Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston), author of SB 19. 'This is waste, fraud, and abuse.' Beyond the considerable sum of local tax dollars going toward lobbyists, SB 19 proponents point out that taxpayer-funded lobbyists frequently advocate against the interests of taxpayers. Contract lobbyists for local governments, for example, have been some of the most vocal opponents of property tax relief and legislation that would require more conservative budgeting at the local level. Senator Middleton notes that opposition to tax relief and government spending restraint are not the only ways in which taxpayer dollars are used to lobby against taxpayer interests. Middleton points out how local governments also pay contract lobbyists to oppose school choice, defeat proposals to enhance border security, and stop legislation that seeks to remove woke ideology from government-run schools. In addition to highlighting how local governments hire lobbyists to advocate against the interests of taxpayers, SB 19 proponents also challenge their opposition to name a single instance in which local governments hired a firm to lobby in favor of a tax cut. This author contacted the Texas Municipal League and the Texas Association of Counties, the top opponents of SB 19, asking if they could point to an example of when local government-hired lobbyists advocated for a tax cut. They have yet to provide such an example, but this article will be updated if that changes. Polling shows that SB 19 would prove to be a politically popular policy change. A poll released by Texas Public Policy Foundation in February found that more than 80% support prohibition of taxpayer-funded lobbying. 'The overwhelming majority of Texans oppose using tax dollars to fund lobbyists,' TPPF noted in its release on the findings of the February poll. 'More than four out of five registered voters oppose it with just 7% saying they approve.' 'We don't need an Austin lobbyist middleman between state and local elected officials,' Senator Middleton adds. 'We are elected to represent our constituents directly.' Though it doesn't match the amounts spent in Texas, local tax dollars are spent on contract lobbyists in many other states, both blue and red. Lawmakers in Tennessee and Florida have also expressed interest in stamping out taxpayer-funded lobbying. Should Texas become the first state to do so, it likely won't be long before legislation like SB 19 is filed in other state capitals.
