Michelle H. Davis

5 days ago | lonestarleft.com | Michelle H. Davis

The 89th Texas Legislature is over, but the damage will echo for years. This session was 100% about control. Control over classrooms, bodies, ballots, and truth itself. In 140 days, Republican lawmakers pushed through some of the most cynical, cruel, and corrupt legislation we’ve seen in modern Texas history, and they did it with a smile. Don’t let them pretend otherwise. Don’t let them say it was about “parents’ rights” or “border security” or “fiscal responsibility.” It was about power.

6 days ago | lonestarleft.com | Michelle H. Davis

We’ve officially hit the final weekend of the Texas legislative session. Sunday marks the 139th day of the 140-day grind, and lawmakers are scrambling to take final action on the last surviving bills. This weekend is all about wrapping up unfinished business, mainly deciding whether to approve or reject conference committee reports, which are the negotiated compromises between the House and Senate on bills that didn’t make it through cleanly. If the two chambers can’t agree, those bills die.

1 week ago | lonestarleft.com | Michelle H. Davis

The one question that seems to keep coming up in the last few months is, “What have Republicans been focused on in their time in Austin?” In the previous few sessions, their main priorities seemed to be harming marginalized communities through anti-LGBTQ+ legislation or CRT/DEI bans. In 2021, their big pushes were stripping Texans of their voting rights and removing access to healthcare for women.

1 week ago | lonestarleft.com | Michelle H. Davis

Note: While there are only five days left in the Legislative session and plenty to talk about, early voting started yesterday, and the race for San Antonio mayor is one of the most critical elections in Texas right now. We’ll get back to the Lege tomorrow. Early voting for the runoff election started yesterday. The last day of early voting is June 3, and election day is June 7. If you live in San Antonio, get your butt to the polls.

1 week ago | lonestarleft.com | Michelle H. Davis

Yesterday, the Texas House met for over 16 hours, adjourning after 2:00 am, and then gaveling back in this morning at 10:00 am. With only six days left, it’s all about how much damage they can do to Texans before the clock winds down. As a lifelong Texan and self-proclaimed TX-Lege nerd, I can tell you a whole bunch. But you have to remember, while the Legislature is passing all kinds of unconstitutional bullshit, half of it won’t even stand up in court.