Ever since COVID-19 hit Texas in March, our caucus has repeatedly called for data-driven policies informed by medical experts, and for a prioritization of the safety of all Texans over politics. By contrast, Governor Abbott and Texas Republicans have chosen an entirely different path — willfully ignoring the science, playing political games and refusing to …
Texas needs real solutions to solve major COVID problems. Read More »
Today, the Texas Legislative Black Caucus of the Texas House of Representatives held a virtual press conference to announce their plans to file the George Floyd Act during the upcoming 87th Legislative Session. The act is a comprehensive piece of criminal justice legislation named in honor of George Floyd, a native of Houston who died …
Texas Legislative Black Caucus Introduces the George Floyd Act Read More »
(TEXAS) – Yesterday, the Texas Education Agency announced that, consistent with a nonbinding letter recently released by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a blanket order from a local health department closing schools does not constitute a legally issued closure order. Therefore, schools closed by a local health authority and solely providing remote instruction after the …
Last week, the Trump Administration announced its intention to exclude undocumented immigrants from the population counts used to reapportion and create Congressional districts. It is the latest unconstitutional effort from a president who has made it his mission to prioritize party over people, politics over government and autocracy over the republic. Texas House Democratic Caucus …
(TEXAS) – The Texas Education Agency just released updated guidance for returning to schools in the fall. The new plan allows individual school systems to limit on-campus instruction for up to the first eight weeks of school. These changes override the TEA’s original guidelines that would require all schools to return to in-person instruction in …
Texas HDC Education Working Group Responds to New School Reopening Guidelines Read More »
(TEXAS) – A new report from Families USA shows the devastating effects the pandemic has had on Texas’ already abysmal uninsured rate. State Representative and Chair of the Texas House Democratic Caucus Chris Turner released the following statement in response: “This report, which shows a staggering 29% of Texans under 65 now lack health insurance, …
New Report Shows Staggering 29% of Texans Under 65 Are Now Uninsured Read More »
(TEXAS) – Today, Gov. Greg Abbott issued an Executive Order putting a statewide mask mandate into effect. State Representative and Chair of the Texas House Democratic Caucus Chris Turner released the following statement in response: “I am glad Gov. Abbott is implementing a long-overdue statewide mask order. Local officials and House Democrats — along with …
Gov. Abbott Orders Long-Overdue Statewide Mask Mandate Read More »
This week marks the beginning of early voting for the 2020 primary runoff elections in Texas. Unfortunately, as cases spike across the state and the COVID-19 metrics skyrocket into dangerous territory, Texans will not have the opportunity to vote by mail-in ballot. Instead, voters will have to choose to put themselves at risk in …
Texans face choice between health, right to vote this election season Read More »
(TEXAS) – Today, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a brief requesting the United States Supreme Court torpedo the Affordable Care Act — which, if overturned, would result in a 37 percent increase in the state’s uninsured rate (already the highest in the country). State Representative and Chair of the Texas House Democratic Caucus Chris …
HDC Chair Responds to Attorney General’s Attack on Texans’ Health Care Read More »
(TEXAS) – Today, the Texas Education Agency announced on a call with superintendents a series of decisions and options they are weighing for the 2020-2021 school year. The call was a follow-up from a conversation that Gov. Abbott had with lawmakers last week announcing that schools will re-open – an announcement that came as a …
