3rd special session ends with new political maps but no ban on vaccine mandates

Austin News Briefs - Austin American Statesman

The third special session of the Texas Legislature came to a close early Tuesday morning with lawmakers delivering on six of the 10 tasks assigned to them by Governor Greg Abbott, including newly drawn political maps that could cement Republican power for the next decade. Republicans also passed a law to limit the participation of transgender athletes in public school sports, an effort led by religious conservatives that galvanized opposition from transgender Texans and their loved ones. But several of Abbott's big-ticket priorities floundered. Lawmakers did not prohibit COVID-19 vaccine mandates by Texas businesses or governments. Nor did they grant the governor's request to return several voting offenses to felonies.