Greg Abbott

Lawmakers adjourned sine die in the early hours of Tuesday morning, securing changes to the state’s political maps and other conservative goals.

It’s far from clear whether House Speaker Dade Phelan will force through a bill that would ban businesses from requiring their employees get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday issued executive order GA-40, prohibiting any entity in Texas — including private businesses — from requiring vaccinations from employees or customers.

Abbott also called on the Legislature to pass a law banning the expanded vaccine mandates.

The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles unanimously recommended a posthumous pardon for a 2004 drug arrest made by a now-indicted ex-Houston police officer whose case history is under scrutiny following a deadly drug raid.

Abbott added increased penalties for illegal voting to the third special legislative session, but GOP House Speaker Dade Phelan said he won’t act on it.

The agency did not explain why it was auditing results in Collin, Dallas, Harris and Tarrant counties. Its announcement came hours after former President Donald Trump asked that an election audit bill be added to a special legislative session agenda.

Abbott has faced pressure from his right to prioritize property tax relief. One of his challengers in the Republican primary has slammed him for not including it earlier in the agenda, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called it his top priority this session.

Senate Bill 6 will bar those accused of violent crimes from being released from jail before trial unless they can put up cash. That provision of the bill will go into effect Dec. 2.

Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton have long threatened to sue school districts that defy Abbott’s ban on local mask mandates. On Friday, Paxton made good on that threat.

Abbott suggested victims of rape have "at least six weeks" to get an abortion if they choose under his state's new law. But the timeline is actually much shorter than that for most people.

On top of redistricting, Abbott wants lawmakers to take up bills on restrictions for transgender student athletes and the allocation of billions of dollars in federal COVID-19 relief funds.