87th Texas Legislature

The 87th Texas Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Texas, composed of the Texas Senate and the Texas House of Representatives. The Texas State Legislature met in Austin, Texas, from January 12, 2021, to May 31, 2021. Governor Greg Abbott announced three special legislative sessions during summer 2021.

All seats in the state house and 16 seats in the state senate were up for election in November 2020. The Republican Party preserved their majority in both chambers.

• March 13, 2020: Greg Abbott declares a statewide emergency concerning the spread of COVID-19.
• January 12, 2021: Legislature convened at noon (CST).
• February 10, 2021 – February 27, 2021: 2021 Texas power crisis.
• March 2, 2021: Greg Abbott announced the reopening of Texas businesses after nearly a year of various shutdowns and restrictions to quell the spread of COVID-19.
• May 30, 2021: House Democrats broke quorum, first time since 2003.
• May 31, 2021: Legislature adjourns.
• June 30, 2021: Greg Abbott announced he will convene a special legislative session on July 8.
• July 8, 2021: 87th Legislature 1st Called Session convened at 10:00 a.m. (CST).
• July 12, 2021: House Democrats fled to Washington, D.C., to break quorum, when the house convenes for the following day.
• July 13, 2021: The House lacks quorum. Will Metcalf (R) moved for a call of the house, which later passed.
• July 15, 2021: House Speaker Dade Phelan stripped Joe Moody from the Speaker Pro Tempore leadership position as house democrats continue to break quorum.
• August 5, 2021: Governor Abbott announced he will convene a second special legislative session on August 7.
• August 6, 2021: Legislature adjourns 1st special session.
• August 7, 2021: 87th Legislature 2nd Called Session convened at 12:00 p.m. (CST). The House continues to lack quorum, as several Democrats are still in Washington, D.C..
• August 19, 2021: Texas House makes quorum with 99 representatives present.
• September 2, 2021: Legislature adjourns 2nd special session.
• September 20, 2021: 87th Legislature 3rd Called Session convened at 10:00 a.m. (CST).
• October 19, 2021: Legislature adjourns 3rd special session.

Texas State Capitol (February 15, 2021), after a winter storm.

• House bills

  • HB 5: The measure would aim to incentivize the expansion of broadband internet access to areas across the state through the creation of the State Broadband Development Office. The office would award grants, low-interest loans and other incentives to build out broadband access.
  • HB 20: Prohibits large social media platform censorship of Texans.
  • HB 1239: The measure would ban public officials from closing churches or other places of worship during a disaster declaration.
  • HB 1280: The measure would ban abortion in Texas if Roe v. Wade were overturned by the Supreme Court of the United States.
  • HB 1927 (Constitutional carry): The measure would allow people to carry handguns in Texas without a concealed handgun license.
  • HB 3979: The bill would ban the teaching of critical race theory in Texas schools and limit what public school students can be taught about the United States' history of subjugating people of color.

• Senate bills

  • SB 1: Tightens the state's election laws and constrains local control of elections by limiting counties' ability to expand voting options.
  • TX SB3: An Act relating to certain curriculum in public schools, including certain instructional requirements and prohibitions
  • SB 3: The legislation would create a statewide emergency system to alert Texans if power outages are expected and require power generation companies to better prepare their facilities to withstand extreme weather.
  • SB 4: The bill would require any professional sports teams with contracts with the state government to play the national anthem before the start of a game.
  • SB 8: Texas Heartbeat Act (nicknamed "Fetal Heartbeat bill"): The measure allows private citizens to sue people who perpetrate or aid and abet abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. It bans the procedure at about six weeks into a pregnancy, except to save the mother's life.

• House bills

  • HB 3: The measure would give lawmakers more oversight of the governor's emergency powers during a pandemic and carves out future pandemics from how the state responds to other disasters, like hurricanes.
  • HB 20: The legislation would keep more people accused or previously convicted of violent crimes in jail before trial unless they can post cash bonds.

• Senate bills

  • SB 7: A change on the state election process; election integrity and security, including by preventing fraud in the conduct of elections in this state; increasing criminal penalties; creating criminal offenses.
  • SB 10: The bill would ban local governments from using taxpayer dollars to lobby the state.
  • SB 12: The bill would prohibit social media companies with at least 100 million monthly users from blocking, banning, demonetizing or discriminating against users based on their viewpoint or their location within the state.
  • SB 29: The bill would prevent transgender Texas children from joining school sports teams that match their gender identity.
  • SB 1311: The measure would prohibit health care providers and physicians from performing gender-confirmation surgery or prescribing, administering or supplying puberty blockers or hormone treatment to anyone younger than 18.
  • SB 1529: The measure would create a new statewide court of appeals that would hear cases that have statewide significance — including ones that challenge state laws or the Constitution, or when the state or its agencies are sued.

• SR 2: Reduced the supermajority usually needed to bring up a bill in the Senate to 18 out of 31 (previously it was set at 19).

• President of the Senate: Dan Patrick (R)
• President Pro Tempore:

1. Brian Birdwell (R) (Regular session, January 12 - May 31)
2. Donna Campbell (R) (Ad Interim)

• Speaker of the House: Dade Phelan (R)
• Speaker Pro Tempore:

1. Joe Moody (D) (January 12 - July 15)

Listed by chamber and then alphabetically by committee name, including chair and vice-chair.

• Texas Legislature Online
• Texas Senate
• Texas House of Representatives
• Election Results from the Office of the Secretary of State
• Legislative Reference Library