Tagged: 83rd Legislature

In the first segment:

The special session has taken on some added weight this week with the addition of several bills splitting the legislature from its initial redistricting focus. Most controversially, the fetal pain abortion bill has been revitalized in Senate Bill 5.

Terri Burke, executive director of the Texas American Civil Liberties Union, joins us along with San Antonio Coalition for Life Executive Director Matt Schima.

Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, has one of about six bills that address some aspect of abortion in the special session. Patrick said his bill would hold institutions like Planned Parenthood to strict guidelines when dispensing the Plan B abortion pill the abortion pill (mifeprestone), a set of pills that medically ends a pregnancy and can be used up to 9 weeks after the woman's last period.

Hoping to solve some of the state’s glaring problems with transportation, Gov. Rick Perry has opened the special session agenda to transportation-related bills.

This move has been a whispered rumor since the session began, but now lawmakers in the Texas House and Senate will begin debate on over 12 pre-filed transportation bills. 

The big one with the most buzz is a bill co-authored by Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, and Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville.

Parents, students and several lawmakers crowded into the governor's press room to witness Gov. Rick Perry signing legislation into law that changes the state’s public education system. 

While there were a handful of bills on hand, the one that stood out most was a bill that reduces the number of high-stakes exams students are required to take from the current 15 standardized tests down to five.